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THE 


AP; 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT 


BOSTON: 
ANDREW   F.    GRAVES 

No.  24  Cornlull. 

1861. 


Printed  by 

Bazin  &  Chandler, 

37  Cornhill. 


PREFACE 


It  is  in  accordance  with  the  earnest  desire  of  many- 
Christian  friends,  and  some  of  my  ministering  breth- 
ren, who  think  it  would  be  promotive  of  the  cause 
of  truth  as  well  as  for  the  encouragement  of  the 
disciples  of  Christ  generally,  that  I  am  induced  to 
furnish  a  brief  sketch  of  my  life,  and  especially  those 
incidents  connected  with  my  past  labors  in  the  ministry. 

It  is  an  opinion  I  have  long  entertained,  that  as  a 
general  rule  nothing  should  be  published  concerning 
any  one's  life  while  he  is  living.  And  were  it  not  that 
the  origin,  early  experience  and  struggles  of  several  of 
our  churches,  and  the  progress  of  religion  in  many 
places,  were  intimately  identified  with  my  own  history, 
I  should  absolutely  refuse  to  give  publicity  to  the  in- 
cidents which  are  recorded  in  this  volume.  My  per- 
sonal knowledge,  however,  of  many  interesting  facts 
connected  with  the  cause  of  religion  in  those  places 
which  were  the  scene  of  my  early  labors,  is  probably 
as  great,  if  not  greater  than  any  one  now  living. 

There  is  also  another  consideration  which  has  some 
weight  in  my  mind,  and  that  is,  the  number  of  those 
with  whom  I  was  formerly  associated  in  the  churches 
in  promoting  the  cause  of  God,  is  fast  diminishing, 
and  therefore,  to  such  as  remain,  the  review  of  by-gone 


IV  PREFACE. 

scenes,  may  furnish  them  with  some  pleasing  and  per- 
haps profitable  reminiscences.  And  still  farther,  it 
may  not  be  ill-timed  perhaps,  that  my  younger  brethren 
both  in  the  ministry  and  in  the  churches,  should  be  re- 
minded of  the  labors  and  sacrifices  of  those  who  have 
borne  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day. 

The  reader  will  perceive  that  some  allusions  are 
made  in  the  following  pages  to  other  religious  denom- 
inations, as  the  Unitarians,  Congregationalists,  &c. ; 
it  is,  however,  with  no  unkind  or  invidious  spirit  that 
I  speak  of  them,  but  simply  because  circumstances  and 
the  convictions  of  duty,  brought  me  into  connection 
with  them. 

As  my  term  of  active  ministerial  labor  is  nearly 
completed,  having  extended  over  a  period  of  nearly 
fifty-five  years,  and  also  being  admonished  by  my  age, 
approaching  four-score  years,  it  is  quite  probable  it 
cannot  be  long  before  I  shall  be  called  hence  to  be 
here  no  more.  A  casual  survey  only  of  the  ground 
over  which  I  have  passed,  causes  me  to  feel  the  truth 
of  Inspiration —  "  unprofitable  servant,"  but  my  hope 
of  present  and  final  acceptance  with  God,  rests  upon  the 
Person  and  Work  of  the  Redeemer. 

Scitiiate,  January,  1861.  T.    C. 


MiDDLEBORO',  Oct.  31,  1860. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Pastors  of  the  churches  of  the  Old 
Colony  Association: 

Voted  unanimously,  that  we  approve  of  the  publication  of 
the  Autobiography  of  Father  Conant  without  delay. 

KiLBURN  Holt,  Clerk. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Birth— Ancestry— An  Early  Incident  of  Childhood— First 
Religious  Impressions — Strict  observance  of  Religious 
Duties— Self  Righteousness— Vain  Hope  of  Heaven — 
School  at  Rochester — Religious  Duties  given  up — Re- 
sults        9 

CHAPTER  II. 

Fitted  for  College — Dissuaded  from  going  by  my  Father. 
— Learning  a  Carpenter's  Trade — Attending  Meetings 
in  Boston — The  Effect  of  Drs.  Baldwin  and  Stillman's 
Preaching — Unitarian  Preaching — Opposition  to  Bap- 
tist Preaching — Fondness  for  pleasure 13 

CHAPTER  III. 

Religious  Impressions  Suddenly  Revived  —  Distress  of 
Mind— The  first  place  for  Prayer— Ignorance  of  Ex- 
perimental Religion— Example  of  Church  Members- 
Consciousness  of  Sin— How  Aggravated— Sense  of  the 
Justice  of  God '. 19 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Hope  Cherished— Joy— Doubts  and  Fears— Doubts  of 
Believers  Contrasted  with  Unbelievers — Trials  of  Be- 
lievers Overruled — Encouragement  from  Col.  Gard- 
ner's Experience 25 


VI  TABLE  OP  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Duty  of  making  a  Profession  of  Religion — A  New  Trial — 
Examination  of  the  Subject  of  Baptism— Baptism — 
Father  Backus'  Blessing— Interest  in  Prayer  and  Con- 
ference Meetings— Important  means  of  Grace 31 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Teaching  School  —  A  Disadvantage  Improved — Inquir- 
ers —  State  of  my  own  Mind — Conversation  upon  the 
New  Birth — School  Meeting — Singular  Views  of  Reli- 
gion—A Minister  Opposes  Experimental  Religion- 
Change  in  his  Mind— Results— Conversation  with  Mr. 
Nye  and  Mrs.  Leonard 36 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Impressions  about  Preaching — Inquiries  respecting  a 
Passage  of  Scripture — My  Father  unwilling  for  me  to 
Preach— A  Teaching  Providence  —  House  and  Land 
disposed  of— Duty  made  Plain 44 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Studying  for  the  Ministry — State  of  Religion  in  P — 
Prayer  and  Conference  Meetings — Revival— Opposi- 
tion— Trials  About  Going  to  College — Baptism  in  P — 
Correspondence  with  Luther  Rice  upon  the  subject  of 
Baptism 51 

CHAPTER  IX. 

My  Brother's  Ordination — Discussion  upon  Infant 
Church  Membership — Dr.  Emmons — A  Call  at  his 
House  in  Franklin — Conversation  upon  Baptists  and 
Baptism — His  Sentiments  at  Fault  with  his  Practice — 
His  Conventional  Sermon — Decided  for  the  Ministry. .     58 

CHAPTER  X. 

License  to  Preach— Warren  Association— Dr.  Sharp— Dr. 
Baldwin — First  Preaching — Tour  Labors  in  Barnstable 
—  Teaching  School  — Revival  —  Brewster  —  Orleans — 
Chatham— Baptism  of  Congregational  Church  Mem- 
bers by  Baptist  Ministers 65 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS.  VU 

CHAPTER  XI. 

free  passage  to  Maine-^Nantucket — Landed  on  Cape 
Page— Chappaquiddic — Edgartown — Meetings — Oppo- 
sitfon— A  Young  Man  Powerfully  Convicted— Sunrise 
Meeting  at  Dr.  Whelden's— An  Incident  at  this  Meet- 
ing—Meetings in  Tisbury— Mr.  Prince  Rogers 71 

CHAPTER  XII: 

Return  to  Edgartown— Baptism— Last  Meeting— Opposi- 
tion—Effect  of  the  Truth— Falmouth— Marshpee— Rev. 
James  Davis— Mr.  Lincoln— Members  of  Military  Com- 
pany ask  for  Prayers— Conversions — The  Physician — 
Departure  for  Bridgewater SI 

CHAPTER  Xin. 

Teaching  School  and  Preaching— Plymouth— Marshfield 
— Bellingham — Mr.  Aaron  Perkins — His  Experience, 
&c— State  of  Religion  in  Bellingham— Return  to 
Marshfield — Review  of  the  Yeai» 87 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Teaching  in  Scituate — Preaching  in  Marshfield  and  Pem- 
broke—An Incident  at  a  Funeral— Conversation  with 
Mr.  A — Church  formed  in  Pembroke— My  Ordination 
—New  Bedford — School  Incident  in  Duxbury — War  of 
1812— Westboro— Church  Constituted— Fourth  of  July 
Sermon 101 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Labors  resumed  in  Marshfield — Missionary  Labors  in 
Boston— Great  Revival  in  Marshfield— Thrilling  Inci- 
dents— Sabbath  School— Preaching  in  Hingham  and 
South  Abington — Opposition— Progress  of  Baptist 
Principles Ill 

CHAPTER  XVL 

Invitation  to  Visit  New  Bedford— Letter  of  Dea.  Barstow 
—Items  of  Labor  with  Incidents— City  Missionary  in 
Boston— Report,  &c 126 


VUl  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XVn. 


Pastorate  in  Plymouth — MissioDary  in  Plymouth  County 
— Pastorate  in  Brewster — Death  of  my  Son — Revival  of 
Religion  and  Incidents  Connected  with  the  Work— Pro- 
tracted Meetings— Reflections 134 

CHAPTER  XVni. 

Observations  upon  the  State  of  Religion  in  the  Congrega- 
tional Churches  at  the  time  and  before  I  commenced  my 
Ministry— Causes  which  operated  against  the  Piety  of 
the  Churches 145 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Rev.  James  Davis'  Christian  Experience— Ordination  as 
a  Congregationalist — Change  of  Views  upon  Baptism 
— Re-ordination  as  a  Baptist — His  Varied  Labors  and 
Success— Description  of  his  General  Character— His 
Last  Sickness— Happy  State  of  his  Mind— Peaceful  and 
Triumphant  Death 154 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Conclusion 174 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 


CHAPTER  I. 


Birth  —  Ancestry  —  An  early  incident  of  childhood — First 
religious  impressions  —  Strict  observance  of  religious  duties 
—  Self-righteousness  —  Vain  hope  of  Heaven  —  School  at 
Rochester  —  Duties  of  religion  give  up  —  Results. 

I  was  born  in  Bridgewater,  Mass,,  October 
5th,  1785.  I  was  the  seventh  generation  of 
Rogers  Conant,  who  came  to  America  from 
Eno;land  in  1623,  and  who  had  in  charge  from 
a  company  of  merchants  in  London,  a  coloniza- 
tion establishment  at  Cape  Ann,  Mass.,  on 
Naumkeag  river,  the  place  now  called  Beverly  ; 
but  they  remained  for  awhile  before  going  to 
Beverly,  on  what  was  called  Conant's  Island, 
afterwards  called  Governor's  Island,  for  Eogers 
Conant  was  considered   governor  of  that  com- 


10  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OP 

pany.  He  was  one  of  twelve  brothers,  six  of 
whom  being  Protestants,  fled  into  England  from 
France,  at  the  revocation  of  the  edict  of  Nantz, 
leaving:  behind  them  six  other  brothers,  who 
were  Papists. 

There  was  nothing  remarkable  respecting 
my  childhood  days,  with  the  exception,  perhaps, 
of  an  uncommon  fondness  for  sheep  and  lambs. 
When  I  was  between  four  and  five  years  of 
age,  my  father,  Ezra  Conant,  took  me  with  him 
to  one  of  his  pastures  about  a  mile  from  his 
house ;  when  he  saw  I  was  so  taken  up  with 
the  sheep  and  lambs,  he  thought  he  would  step 
behind  a  tree,  to  see  what  I  would  do.  I  soon 
found  I  was  alone,  and  night  coming  on,  w^hat 
to  do  I  did  not  know,  for  I  could  not  find  my 
way  home.  The  sheep  and  lambs  soon  began 
to  lie  down  ;  I  finally  went  and  laid  myself 
down  among  them,  entirely  contented  to  take 
up  my  abode  with  them  for  the  night,  if  my 
father  had  not  come  to  me,  and  taken  the 
sheep  .home. 

The  first  serious  impressions  that!  can  recol- 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  11 

lect,  whlcli  were  made  on  my  mind,  were,  when 
I  was  about  ten  years  of  age.  A  cousin  of 
mine  about  my  age  died,  which  led  me  to  in- 
quire of  my  grand-mother,  "  what  I  must  do  to 
be  saved."  She  said,  "  I  must  leave  off  sin- 
ning, read  my  Bible,  and  pray."  For  two  years, 
I  suppose  I  did  read  my  Bible  and  pray,  but  as 
for  leaving  off  sinning,  I  had  no  proper  sense 
of  sin  whatever.  Indeed,  I  lived  such  a  self- 
righteous  life,  that  I  do  not  remember,  that  I 
had  a  doubt  during  the  time,  if  I  had  died,  but 
that  I  should  have  gone  safely  to  heaven. 

Soon  after  I  was  twelve  years  old,  I  went  to 
Rochester,  to  attend  an  academy  in  that  place, 
taught  by  the  Rev.  Calvin  Shaddock.  I  board- 
ed in  his  family  with  a  number  of  young  peo- 
ple ;  but  after  being  there  several  weeks,  I  was 
confident  they  neither  read  the  Bible,  nor  made 
it  their  practice  to  pray  ;  and  as  it  was  a  task 
for  me,  I  concluded  to  give  it  up  also,  except 
when  it  thundered  and  lightned,  or  when  some 
sudden  death  occurred,  believing,  I  should  fare 
as  w-ell  as  those  did,  with  whom   I  associated. 


12  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

It  was  most  obvious,  therefore,  that  my  first 
religious  impressions  were  only  awakenings,  or 
alarms  of  conscience,  and  resulted  merely  in  a 
temporary  alteration  of  the  outward  life,  while 
the  heart  remained  unchanged  and  im^^enitent. 
It  was  like  "the  morning  cloud  and  early 
dew."  When  certain  duties  are  performed  for 
the  sake  of  obtaining  salvation,  or  seeking  to  in- 
gratiate one's  self  into  the  favor  of  God,  convic- 
tions or  impressions  that  reach  no  farther,  un- 
accompanied with  a  sense  of  sin,  or  unworthi- 
ness,  or  ill  desert,  are  to  be  considered  as  pure- 
ly legal  in  their  character  ;  and  the  sorrow  or 
fear  arising  from  such  convictions,  is  that  which 
worketh  death,  instead  of  life.  With  no  love 
for  rehgious  duties,  because  no  godly  sorrow 
for  sin,  nor  faith  in  the  Saviour,  the  time  soon 
came  when  those  duties  were  a  burden  and 
their  riddance  a  great  relief  Such,  doubtless, 
are  the  commencement  and  termination  of  the 
serious  impressions  of  multitudes. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Fitted  for  college— Dissuaded  by  my  fother  from  entering 
college  —  Learning  a  carpenter's  trade  —  Attending  meet- 
ings in  Boston  —  The  effect  of  Drs.  Baldwin  and  Stillman's 
preaching— Unitarian  preaching  —  Opposition  to  Baptist 
preaching — Fondness  for  pleasure . 

Soon  after  I  returned  home  from  Rochester, 
the  Bridgewater  Academy  being  now  opened 
for  the  first  time,  I  attended  there  until  I  was 
sixteen  years  old  ;  and  during  that  time,  I  was 
nearly  fitted  for  college.  But  my  mind  was 
unsettled  as  to  my  future  course.  My  father 
made  me  several  offers  in  a  pecuniary  way  as 
inducements  for  me  to  work  on  the  farm,  and 
live  near  him.  My  only  brother,  G.  C,  who 
had  graduated  at  Brown  University,  was  very 
anxious  I  should  go  to  college.  I  was  incHned, 
however,  most  of  the  time  to  learn  a  house- 
carpenter's  trade,  and  my  father  chose  that  I 
should,  rather  than  for  me  to  pursue  my  stud- 


14  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

ies  any  farther  ;  for  tlien  lie  thought,  I  might 
be  near  him  in  years  to  come.  He  finally  ob- 
tained a  place  for  me  in  Roxbury  to  work  at 
that  trade,  with  the  consider t:.tion  that  when  I 
should  be  eighteen,  I  was  to  have  my  time  to 
myself.  I  commenced  school  keeping  when  I 
was  eighteen,  during  the  winter  months,  and 
continued  it  for  many  years  'after. 

When  absent  from  my  father's  house  at  other 
times,  I  worked  at  my  trade  in  Roxbury  and 
Boston.  When  in  Boston,  I  generally  attended 
the  meeting  of  the  Universalists,  whose  distin- 
guished preacher  at  that  time  was  Murray. 
Occasionally  I  went  to  hear  Drs.  Baldwin  and 
Stillman  ;  but  I  soon  found  that  their  style  of 
preaching,  or  the  truths  they  exhibited,  dis- 
turbed my  mind  so  much,  that  I  chose  rather 
to  hear  smooth  things.  I  found  I  had  neither 
disposition  nor  heart  to  listen  for  any  consider- 
able length  of  time  to  the  searchino;  truths 
presented  by  these  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ. 
And,  therefore,  in  order  to  avoid  unwelcome 
impressions,  and  preserve  my  mind  undisturbed 
on  the  subject  of  religion,  I  kept  away. 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  15 

About  the  time  I  was  twenty-one,  I  began 
building  a  house  for  myself,  near  my  father's  . 
and  while  I  lived  in  his  family,  I  attended  the 
Unitarian  meeting,  Dr.  Sanger's,  and  was  very 
far  from  having  any  religious  impressions.  In- 
deed, there  was  nothing  in  that  sort  of  preach- 
ing, that  tended  in  the  least  degree  to  alarm 
my  slumbering  conscience,  or  to  convict  me  of 
sin  by  a  plain  and  scriptural  presentation  of  the 
law  of  God,  either  in  its  holiness,  claims  or  pen- 
alty, and  consequently,  no  exhibitions  of  an 
atoning  Saviour  to  save  the  lost  and  guilty 
sons  and  daughters  of  Adam.  Whatever  of 
truth  there  might  have  been  presented,  it  was 
rendered  pointless  and  powerless  with  its  ad- 
mixture with  fundamental  error  and  misappH- 
cation,  to  convict  the  sinner  of  sin,  and  urge 
his  flight  to  the  crucified  One  for  salvation  and 
eternal  life.  Universalism  and  Unitarianism, 
or,  Arminianism,  I  found  were  one  and  homoire- 
neous  in  the  siren  song  respecting  the  eternal 
interests  of  the  immortal  soul,  "peace,  peace 
be  still !"     I  felt  then  as   many   do  now,   who 


16  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

cherisli  the  views  of  those  just  mentioned,  that 
there  was  no  necessity  of  being  concerned  either 
for  the  present  or  future  safety  of  the  soul ; 
and,  therefore,  it  was  a  real  intrusion,  and  a 
direct  annoyance  to  be  told,  that  "  unless  I  had 
relig-ion  I  should  be  lost — unless  I  believed  I 
should  be  damned." 

There  was  one  incident  which  occurred 
about  this  time,  which  I  most  distinctly  recel- 
lect ;  it  was  this  :  I  heard  Dr.  Stillman  preach, 
and  I  thought  for  several  days  afterwards,  that 
I  would  try  and  be  a  Christian.  He  showed 
me  that  I  was  not  one,  but  that  I  ought  to  be, 
and  the  threatened  danger  to  which  I  was  ex- 
posed in  the  eternal  loss  of  my  soul,  if  I  were 
not  a  Christian  ;  and,  therefore,  I  had  an  idea  of 
some  sort  of  effort,  though  at  once  indefinite  and 
purposeless,  that  I  would  try  and  be  a  Chris- 
tian. But  these  impressions,  however,  soon 
passed  away,  and  I  became  more  opposed  than 
ever  to  any  radical  change  in  my  moral  condi- 
tion, or  to  any  means  or  measure  that  might  be 
employed  to   disturb  my  carnal  security  ;    so 


REV.  THOMAS  COXANT.  17 

much  so  Indeed,  that  soon  after  I  came  home 
to  my  father's  house,  I  learned  that  a  Baptist 
minister  was  to  preach  one  afternoon  at  a  pri- 
vate house  about  a  mile  from  my  father's,  I 
asked  a  young  man  to  help  me  put  him  out  of 
the  house,  as  he  had  no  business  to  come  into 
Dr.  Sanger's  society  and  hold  meetings.  Thus 
the  opposition  of  my  heart  began  to  show  it- 
self, and  especially  against  those  whose  manner 
of  preaching,  destroyed  my  self-complacency 
and  disturbed  my  sinful  ease  and  love  of  the 
world. 

I  was  uncommonly  fond  of  balls  and  parties. 
While  I  was  more  and  more  sensible  of  a  de- 
cided distaste  for  religious  things,  I  was  more 
eager  to  indulge  in  vain  and  trifling  scenes  of 
amusement,  if  possible,  in  this  way,  to  expel  all 
serious  thoughts  and  reflections  from  my  mind. 
Only  the  evening  before,  my  mind  was  so  pow- 
erfully wrought  upon,  so  much  so,  that  I  never 
got  rid  of  it,  until  I  found  hope  in  the  mercy 
of  God.  I  was  one  of  the  two  that  had  made 
arrangements  for  a  a  ball  on  Thursday  of  the 


18  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

week  following.  I  was  engaged  to  procure 
music  for  the  same.  Little  did  I  think  that  the 
next  evening,  I  should  be  so  concerned  for  my 
soul ;  even  when  I  sat  down  to  take  my  tea,  I 
expected  to  go  to  a  party  as  soon  as  I  arose 
from  the  table.  "  God's  ways  are  not  as  our 
ways,  neither  are  his  thoughts  as  our  thoughts." 


CHAPTEK  III. 

Religious  Impressions  suddenly  revived  —  Distress  of  mind 
—  The  first  place  for  prayer  —  Ignorance  of  experimental 
religion  —  Example  of  church  members  —  Consciousness  of 
Sin  —  How  aggravated  —  Sense  of  the  Justice  of  God. 

While  I  was  at  the  table  eating  alone,  and 
no  other  person  in  the  house  except  my  mother, 
I  was  for  the  first  time  in  my  life  thoroughly 
convinced,  that  there  was  no  solid  enjoyment 
in  parties  of  pleasure,  or  in  vain  and  sinful 
amusements  of  any  sort  whatever  ;  but  I  now 
had  the  conviction,  that  there  was  something  in 
religion  of  which  I  was  ignorant,  and  which 
alone  could  furnish  true  peace  of  mind.  The 
more  I  thought  upon  the  subject,  the  more  dis- 
tressed I  became,  until  the  perspiration  dropped 
from  my  face.  Such  was  my  distress,  that  I 
arose  from  the  table  before  finishing  my  usual 
meal,  and  sought  retirement.  I  thought  I 
would  get  down  upon  my  knees  and  beg  for 


20  AUTOBIOGEAPHY    OF 

mercy  as  soon  as  I  should  get  out  of  tlie  sight 
of  my  friends.  I  finally  went  to  the  farthest 
apple  tree  in  my  father's  orchard,  and  for  the 
first  time  in  my  life,  I  fell  on  my  knees  to  sin- 
cerely and  earnestly  beg  for  mercy,  feeling  tha-t 
I  was  a  great  sinner  before  God.  I  had  in 
times  previous  in  the  course  of  my  life  used 
the  form  of  prayer,  and  thought,  perhaps, 
there  was  a  degree  of  earnestness  and  devotion 
in  the  duty,  but  now,  my  heart  was  burdened 
with  a  sense  of  sin,  such  as  I  never  knew  be- 
fore. Saul,  the  persecutor  and  Pharisee,  doubt- 
less often  prayed  in  his  way  as  the  forms  of  his 
religion  urged  him  to  do,  but  it  was  not  until 
after  his  awakening  by  the  voice  of  the  Son  of 
God,  being  overwhelmed  with  the  conscious- 
ness of  his  sin  and  guilt,  that  it  was  said, 
"  behold  he  prayeth." 

I  believe  I  knew  as  little  about  the  theory  of 
experimental  religion  as  any  one  who  ever 
lived  in  a  Christian  land,  having  hitherto  very 
generally  attended  meeting  with  the  Universal- 
ists  and  Congregationalists,  who  were  Armin- 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  21 

ians  and  Unitarians  at  this  time,  wliere  the 
distinctive  marks  of  religious  experience  were 
never  insisted  upon,  and  in  reality  were  never 
taucrht. 

Besides,  the  last  ball  I  attended  in  the  Acad- 
emy Hall,  in  Bridgewater,  was  wuth  several 
members  of  the  Unitarian  Church,  and  Dr. 
Sanger's  oldest  son,  a  licensed  preacher,  danced 
as  much  as  any  one.  My  mother  was  a  mem- 
ber of  that  same  church,  but  I  never  recollect- 
ed of  hearing  it  once  intimated,  that  there  was 
any  sin  in  attending  balls,  or  in  drinking  the 
social  glass,  if  we  did  not  drink  too  much,  or 
keep  too  late  hours.  But  notwithstanding  this, 
I  distinctly  remember  soon  after  I  arose  from 
my  knees,  and  was  returning  to  the  house,  of 
calling  to  mind  many  things  which  I  had  be- 
fore considered  innocent  enjoyments,  then  for 
the  first  time  appeared  odious  and  sinful  in  the 
sight  of  God. 

After  I  entered  my  father's  house,  I  took  a 
light  in  order  to  retire  to  my  chamber,  but  my 
mother  perceiving   that   I   appeared  diiFerent 


22  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

from  what  slie  had  ever  seen  me  before,  asked 
me  "  what  was  the  matter  ?"  I  toki  her  I  was 
such  a  sinner  I  could  not  telL  She  said  she 
"  wished  some  one  of  the  neighbors  to  be  called 
in,  for  she  did  not  like  to  be  alone  with  me." 
At  first,  I  was  unwilling  to  have  any  one  sent 
for,  but  finally  I  consented  to  have  a  young 
man  and  woman,  who  were  hopefully  pious  to 
come  in.  But  when  they  came,  the  sight  of 
them  seemed  to  increase  my  distress  ;  for  I 
thought  they  were  very  happy,  while  I  w^as 
very  miserable.  I  attempted  to  leave  the  room, 
but  the  young  man  followed  me,  and  conversed 
with  me;  I  finally  came  back,  and  he  prayed 
with  me.  My  distress,  however,  was  so  great, 
that  I  recollected  but  little  he  said.  He  told 
me  among  other  things,  that  "  I  must  repent 
and  believe."  I  told  him  I  did  believe  and 
tremble,  and  so  did  the  devils  in  hell,  and  that 
was  a  most  suitable  place  for  me. 

After  my  young  friend  had  left  me,  I  walked 
the  room,  being  in  agony  of  mind  bordering  on 
despair.     I  feared  I  had  committed  the  unpar- 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  23 

donable  sin,  because  I  had  made  light  of  tliose 
who  had  been  concerned  about  their  souls,  and 
after  they  had  expressed  hope  in  the  Saviour. 
I  also  had  cast  ridicule  upon  others  at  the  time 
of  their  baptism,  especially  the  first  time  I  ever 
saw  an  individual  immersed,  when  Dr.  Bald- 
win baptized  twenty-five,  and  Dr.  Stillman 
baptized  thirteen  in  the  Mill  Pond  one  Sabbath 
afternoon ;  considering  all  the"  light  remarks  I 
had  made  of  professors  of  religion,  and  the 
contempt  of  baptism  which  I  had  shown  in 
connection  with  the  opposition  I  had  exhibited 
towards  the  things  of  religion  generally,  caused 
me  to  weep  aloud,  for  my  sins  appeared  so 
numerous  and  aggravated,  and  my  fears  so 
strongly  excited,  that  I  felt  I  was  sinking  into 
hell.  But  in  a  little  time,  I  realized  it  was 
perfectly  just  and  right  with  God,  that  I  should 
be  cast  ofi*  fore^^er ;  as  soon,  therefore,  as  I  felt 
to  resign  myself  entirely  into  the  hands  of  God 
for  him  to  dispose  of  me  as  he  saw  fit,  I  ob- 
tained some  relief  in  my  mind.  I  had  neither 
excuse  for  the  multitude  of  my  sins,  nor  per- 


24  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

sonal  merit  or  goodness,  nor  any  claim  upon 
the  divine  mercy  for  hope  or  salvation,  but 
infinitely  unworthy  and  ill-deserving.  My 
only  plea,  therefore,  before  the  mercy-seat,  was 
the  prayer  of  the  penitent,  self-condemned  pub- 
lican, "  Grod  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner."  He 
who  sees  the  inmost  soul,  and  marks  its  strug- 
gles and  conflicts  with  sin  which  it  cannot  of 
itself  remove,  and  its  earnest,  dying  longings 
for  spiritual  life  and  hberty,  will  draw  near  to 
hear  the  sighings  of  the  prisoner,  and  proclaim 
deHverance  to  the  captive. 


CHAPTER  IT. 

Hope  clierislied  —  Joy  —  Doubts  and  Fears  —  Doubt  of  Believ- 
ers contrasted  with  those  who  are  Impenitent  —  Trials  of 
Believers  overruled  —  Encouragement  from  Col.  Gardner's 
Experience. 

I  did  not  enjoy  a  satisfactory  evidence  of  my 
acceptance  with  God  until  tlie  next  day,  wlien 
I  was  in  a  neighbor's  house,  where  I  met  the 
same  young  man  who  conversed  with  me  the 
night  before  ;  it  was  while  he  was  praying  with 
me  again,  that  I  received  a  peace  of  mind 
which  the  world  can  neither  give  nor  take  away* 
I  was  delightfully  conscious  of  a  different  love 
toward  him,  and  everybody  else,  than  ever  I 
was  sensible  of  before.  As  I  went  home,  it 
appeared  to  me  that  I  was  in  a  ncAV  world, 
everything  around,  above  and  beneath  me,  wore 
a  new  and  uncommon  aspect ;  and  I  could  seem 
to  behold  God  in  every  thing  in  a  different 
manner  than  ever  before.  "  Old  things  had 
3 


26  AUTOBlOGEArHY  OF 

passed  away,"  behold,  "  all  things  had  become 
new."  These  words  were  in  my  heart,  and 
upon  my  tongue,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  high- 
est, peace  on  earth  and  good  will  toward  men." 
I  remained  very  happy  in  my  mind  for  several 
days.  The  duties  of  religion,  the  company  and 
onversation  with  the  people  of  God,  medita- 
tion upon  the  love  and  sacrifice  of  the  Saviour, 
deliverance  from  sin,  the  inward  testimony  of 
the  imparted  spirit  of  holiness,  the  heavenly 
peace  that  reigned  in  my  soul, — these  things, 
were  sources  of  unspeakable  delight,  and  be- 
yond all  the  power  of  language  to  express. 

After  this  season  of  joy,  praise  and  thanks- 
giving to  God,  I  had  many  distressing  doubts 
and  painful  apprehensions  for  a  considerable 
time,  lest  the  change  which  had  taken  place  in 
my  mind,  was  not  the  genuine  work  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  therefore  neither  gracious 
nor  saving.  I  was  greatly  troubled  and  per- 
plexed on  this  point,  whether  the  change  which 
had  taken  place  in  my  mind  was  a  genuine,  gra- 
cious one  or  not,  on  account  of  its  peculiar  sud- 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  27 

denness,  and  so  much  shorter  than  some  whom 
I  had  heard  tell  their  Christian  experience. 
Indeed,  there  are  many  dillerent  phases  in 
the  experience  of  the  people  of  God,  and  yet 
the  product  of  the  same  Spirit.  Some  have 
continued  for  months  and  even  for  years  in  a 
distressed  state  of  mind  before  they  found  a 
satisfactory  hope  in  the  Saviour  ;  others  cannot 
determine  precisely  the  time  when  their  souls 
were  brought  to  know  and  love  the  Lord,  per- 
haps in  the  earlier  days  of  their  youth.  And 
then  again,  others  have  a  brief  experience,  and 
soon  are  brought  to  trust  in  God  and  rejoice 
in  his  salvation.  Whatever,  therefore,  may  be 
the  peculiar  leadings  of  the  Spirit  in  regard  to 
individual  experiences,  few  are  the  instances 
where  no  doubts  or  misQ-ivino-s  arise  in  reo;ard 
to  their  acceptance  of  God  and  personal  inter- 
est in  the  divine  flivor.  It  is  true,  there  is  no 
merit  in  doubts  of  this  sort,  as  all  Christians 
well  know,  nor  would  any  exist,  were  the  whole 
moral  nature  entirely  comformed  to  the  mind 
and  will  of  God.     Perhaps,  hovrever,  there  are 


28  AUTOBIOGHAPHY  OV 

some  who  profess  religion,  who  have  no  doubts, 
but  who  ought  to  have  them ;  others,  who  have 
them,  ought  not  to.  It  shouki  be  observed, 
however,  that  doubts  with  reference  to  the  truth 
of  rehgion  which  many  entertain,  and  which  I 
have  heard  expressed,  are  quite  opposite  in  their 
nature  and  influence,  from  the  doubts  of 'believ- 
ers with  regard  to  their  personal  interest  in  the 
pardoning  mercy  of  God.  The  former,  are  the 
fruits  of  impenitence,  and  even  skepticism ; 
while  the  latter,  are  peculiar  to  believers  in  their 
conflicts  with  sin  and  Satan. 

Whatever  doubts  and  fears  the  Christian  may 
have,  one  thing  is  most  obvious  in  his  experi- 
ence ;  he  will  be  led  to  more  earnest  prayer 
to  God,  for  heavenly  wisdom  and  divine  light 
to  shine  into  his  mind ;  he  will  seek  a  nearer 
access  to  the  throne  of  grace  ;  he  will  search 
and  examine  his  heart  more  diligently  by  the 
word  of  God  and  from  the  experience  of  good 
men ;  and  thus,  what  at  first  seemed  to  him 
really  impediments  in  his  Christian  course,  aris- 
ing from  his  doubts,  fears,  darkness  and  conflicts 


REV.  THOMAS  CONAXT.  29 

with  sin,  are,  by  tlic  blessing  and  purpose  of  an 
overruling  Saviour,  made  eminently  conducive 
to  an  increase  of  liis  faith,  his  furtherance 
in  the  divine  life,  and  greater  discipline  and 
preparation  for  the  service  of  God.  "  All 
thino^s  work  too-ether  for  o-ood  to  them  who  love 

o  O  O 

God,  and  to  them  who  are  the  called  according 
to  his  purpose." 

At  this  time,  I  remember  reading  the  life  of 
Col.  Gardner.  It  afforded  2:reat  relief  and  en- 
couragement  to  my  mind.  It  shed  new  light 
upon  a  subject  which  had  caused  me  many 
doubts  and  much  distress.  From  his  experi- 
ence, I  became  satisfied  that  it  was  not  abso- 
lutely the  space  of  time,  in  which  persons  were 
under  conviction  for  their  sins,  but  whether  they 
ever  were  truly  convicted  and  thoroughly  con- 
vinced of  their  deplorable  condition,  so  as  to 
be  prepared  to  look  to  Christ  for  salvation,  as 
all  lost  and  perishing  sinners  must  do,  or  perish. 
The  work  of  the  Spirit  in  convincing  "  of  sin, 
of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment,"  may,  in 
individual  cases,  be  exceedingly  short,  as  those 


80  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  or  the  jailor,  and  mul- 
titudes since  ;  in  other  instances,  longer  time 
may  elapse  before  the  soul  is  brought  to  bow 
submissively  to  the  authority  of  the  Redeemer  ; 
or  obtain  satisfactory  evidence  of  its  gracious 
state,  and  yet,  the  results  prove  that  it  is  the 
work  of  the  same  Spirit.  The  Lord  "  leads  the 
blind  by  a  way  they  know  not."  It  is  the  fruits 
of  the  Spirit,  the  true  and  proper  developments 
of  a  spiritual  life,  which  affords  the  most  satis- 
factory evidence  of  a  gracious  experience. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

The  duty  of  making  a  public  profession  of  religion  —  A  new- 
trial —  Examination  of  the  subject  of  baptism  —  Baptism 
—  Father  Backus' blessing  —  Interest  in  prayer  and  con- 
ference meetings  —  Important  means  of  grace.. 

Several  weeks  after  I  indulged  a  hope  in  the 
mercy  of  God,  my  mind  was  considerably  ex- 
ercised about  making  a  public  profession  of  re- 
ligion. As  to  the  duty  of  taking  such  a  step, 
it  was  clear  to  my  mind.  The  directions  given 
in  the  New  Testament  are  unequivocal  on  this 
point.  And,  therefore,  inasmuch  as  I  felt  that 
God  for  Christ's  sake  had  forgiven  my  sins, 
and  removed  the  mountain  load  of  guilt  from 
my  heart  and  conscience,  and  given  me  his 
Spirit  to  witness  with  mine  that  I  was  a  disci- 
ple of  the  Lord  Jesus,  though  one  most  unwor- 
thy, I  felt  that  I  ought  publicly  to  profess  my 
attachment  and  love  to  the  Redeemer's  cause, 
and  show  to  the  world,   that  I  was   willmg  to 


32  .     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

forsake  its  vain  and  sinful  pleasures,  and  unite 
myself  witli  the  j)eople  of  God. 

A  new  trial  now  awaited  me.  As  all  my 
relatives  belonged  to  tlie  Congregational  (Ar- 
mlnian)  denomination,  they  wished  me  to  join 
with  them  ;  but  in  regard  to  the  mode  and 
subject  of  baptism,  there  was  a  severe  conflict 
in  my  mind.  When  my  friends  saw  this,  they 
procured  the  best  works  they  could  find  upon 
the  subject  of  baptism  or  sprinkling,  and  put 
them  into  my  hands.  I  read  them  carefully, 
and  compared  them  with  the  directions  laid 
down  in  the  New  Testament,  as  to  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism  itself,  and  those  who  were  the 
proper  subjects  of  it. 

I  took  the  ConcT)rdance,  and  looked  out 
every  word  that  said  anything  upon  baptism, 
and  compared  every  word  in  the  English  Tes- 
tament with  the  Greek  Testament,  and  by  a 
careful  examination,  I  could  not  find  that  bap- 
tizo  or  any  of  its  roots,  or  branches,  was  ever 
translated  to  sprdnhle^  but  sprinkling  came 
from  rantizo,  which  is  a  very  different  word 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  33 

from  baptizo,  and  with  a  different  meaning  al- 
together. 

After  searching  the  Scriptures,  and  praying 
over  the  subject  for  several  weeks,  I  was  satis- 
fied that  none  but  believers  were  suitable  sub- 
jects, and  only  immersion  was  the  right  mode 
of  baptism.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  my  mind 
was  made  up  on  this  subject,  my  duty  was 
clear  in  the  matter,  and  I  offered  myself  with- 
out further  delay  to  the  first  Baptist  church  in 
Middleboro',  about  the  first  of  October,  1806, 
and  was  baptized  by  Rev.  Isaac  Sawyer,  near 
the  residence  of  Father  Backus.  My  baptism 
occurred  about  six  weeks  before  the  death  of 
this  eminent  man  of  God.  I  recollect  most 
distinctly,  as  I  went  to  his  house  after  baptism, 
this  venerable  servant  of  Jesus  Christ  being 
mostly,  if  not  wholly  confined  to  his  room  and 
to  his  bed,  put  his  hand  on  my  head, .  and  im- 
plored the  Divine  blessing  to  rest  upon  me, 
and  gave  me  some  good  advice. 

I  felt  it  my  duty  to  speak  and  pray  in  con- 
ference and  prayer  meetings,  and  also  to  con- 


34  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

verse  with  tlie  unconverted  upon  the  subject  of 

religion.     If  God  had  pardoned  my  sins,  and 

shed  abroad  his  grace  in  my  heart,  it  was  that 

I  might  do  good  to  others.     If  my  eyes  were 

opened  to  discover  the  excellency  and  glory  of 

Christ  in  the  plan  of  salvation,  and  to  behold 

the    danger  of  impenitent   men   in  neglecting 

their  hio-hest  good,  and  thus  losino*  heaven  for- 
es &        ■  o 

ever,  it  was  plainly  my  duty  to  speak  a  word 
for  God  and  his  cause.  And,  therefore,  in  the 
prayer  and  conference  meeting,  I  took  special 
interest  and  delio:ht.  It  is  in  these  humbler 
and  more  familiar  appointments  of  the  church, 
that  both  the  graces  and  gifts  of  its  members 
may  be  greatly  improved.  "  They  who  wait  upon 
the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength,"  and  thus 
be  prepared  for  other  and  more  responsible  du- 
ties. How  much  unimproved  talent  there  is  in 
the  churqli,  which  lies  buried  in  a  napkin,  out 
of  sight,  and  therefore  useless  !  With  an  ex- 
perience running  through  more  than  fifty 
years,  it  is  my  solemn  conviction  that  the 
church    of  God  has  grievously  suffered,  and 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  35 

still  does,  in  consequence  of  its  members  with- 
holding their  influence,  prayers,  and  personal 
co-operation  from  the  prayer  and  conference 
meeting.  Eich,  spiritual  blessings  descend 
upon  the  "  hills  of  Zion,"  when  all  the  tithes 
are  brought  "  into  the  store-house  "  of  the 
Lord.  It  is  the  conference  and  prayer  meet- 
ing, as  one  of  the  most  important  means  of 
grace,  which  brings  the  Saviour  into  the  midst 
of  his  disciples,  and  secures  to  many  a  believ- 
ing soul,  his  gracious  benediction —  "  Peace  be 
unto  you."  The  conference  and  prayer  meet- 
ing, when  sustained  by  the  disciples  of  Christ, 
is  like  the  sentinel's  light  upon  the  ramparts  of 
Zion,  showing  to  the  enemies  of  truth,  the  vig- 
ilance and  energy  of  a  spiritual  church. 


CHAPTEE  VI. 

Teaching  scliool — A  disadvantage  improved  —  Inquirers  — 
State  of  my  own  mind  —  Effect  of  a  conversation  upon  the 
new  birth  —  School  meeting  —  Singular  view  of  religion  — 
A  minister  opposes  experimental  religion  —  Change  in  his 
mind  —  Results  —  Conversation  with  Mr.  Nye  and  with 
Mrs.  Leonard. 

In  the  winter  of  1806-7,  I  taught  school  in 
the  town  of  Sandwich,  Mass.  It  was  the  cus- 
tom then,  in  district  schools  particularly,  for  the 
teacher  to  "  board  round."  The  inconvenience 
which  resulted  from  this  priactice  in  many  in- 
stances, would  at  once  be  obvious  to  every  re- 
flecting mind,  yet  I  resolved,  I  would  if  possi- 
ble, turn  this  disadvantage  to  some  good  ac- 
count. Wherever  I  went,  I  made  it  a  point  to 
converse  with  all  the  members  of  the  several 
families  with  whom  I  boarded,  upon  the  subject 
of  religion.  ^N'ot  many  weeks  passed  away, 
before  the  Spirit  of  God  concurred   with  my 


HEV.  THOMAS  CONANT*  37 

humble  efforts  in  this  direction  ;  several  per- 
sons were  awakened  to  a  sense  of  their  need  of 
Christ,  and  found  hope  in  his  mercy. 

I  shall  be  pardoned  by  my  readers  if  I  allow 
myself  to  allude  to  several  items  of  some  inter- 
est which  occurred  about  this  time,  and  which 
I  noted  down  for  my  own  special  benefit. 

"  Feb.  27,  1807.  While  I  was  boarding  at 
Mr.  H.'s,  two  individuals  came  to  see  me  in  the 
evening,  with  inquiring  minds,  to  converse 
upon  the  subject  of  religion.  The  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  was  evidently  teaching  them  their  sinful- 
ness, the  depravity  of  their  natures,  and  their 
perishing  need  of  salvation.  They  afterwards 
found  hope  in  the  grace  of  God,  and  united 
with  the  Congregational  church  in  that  place. 
I  have  had  such  deep  impressions  of  Divine 
things  upon  my  mind  for  two  or  three  nights 
past,  that  I  could  not  rest  in  my  bed,  but  arose 
in  the  night  watches  to  plead  with  God  for  a 
revival  of  religion  —  that  his  work  might  ap- 
pear in  our  midst." 


38  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

"  March  2d.  I  tliink  I  never  had  such  a 
night  of  anxiety  as  last  night.  My  soul  was 
burdened  —  I  could  not  sleep  on  account  of  the 
awful  situation  of  sinners  laying  with  such 
weight  on  my  mind  ;  and  besides,  I  was  great- 
ly distressed  because  of  the  pride  of  my  own 
heart." 

"  I  was  told  by  a  man  to-day,  that  when  I 
was  at  his  house  last  Friday  evening,  I  talked 
considerably  upon  the  new  birth,  and  that  after 
I  went  away,  he  had  such  a  discovery  of  sin 
and  such  a  horror  of  conscience  as  he  never 
had  before ;  but  before  morning  he  was  very 
happy,  having  acknowledged  his  transgres- 
sions, repented  of  them,  and  submitted  to 
Christ.  He  now  felt  to  rejoice  in  the  God  of 
his  salvation.  This  has  caused  considerable 
opposition." 

"  March  9th.  There  was  a  school  meeting 
this  evening,  to  see  about  turning  me  away. 
Some  thought  it  best  for  me  to  keep  my  time 
out,  but  others  were  of  a  different  opinion. 
One  man  said  this  religious  stir  was   only  one 


REV.  THOMAS  CON  ANT.  39 

of  the  deviFs  frolics,  and  that  it  would  not  last 
more  than  three  weeks." 

"March  12th.  Boarding  at  Mr.  Joseph 
Hall's.  He  says  "  he  likes  a  steady  religion 
best."  He  thinks  the  people  had  better  let 
excitement  alone  ;  if  the  work  is  of  God  it  will 
stand,  if  not,  it  will  come  to  naught.  Mr.  H. 
said,  he  believed,  "  that  if  we  had  more  good 
works  than  bad  ones,  we  should  go  to  heaven  ; 
but  if  we  had  more  bad  deeds  than  good  ones, 
we  should  lose  our  souls  —  just  as  the  scale 
should  turn."  He  said  he  "  thought  if  we 
worked  we  should  be  prospered,  and  not  as  a 
minister  said  to  his  wife,  "  only  have  faith,  and 
we  can  live." 

Mr.  Hall  was  one  who  engaged  me  to  teach 
their  school  the  second  winter.  When  he  spoke 
to  me  about  it,  he  said,  "  he  engaged  me  to 
teach  their  school,  and  not  to  preach  to  the 
scholars."  Now  this  was  more  than  a  year 
before  I  ever  had  any  thought  of  preaching. 
It  is  true,  after  I  obtained  hope  in  Christ,  I  felt 
it  my  duty  to  exhort  and  entreat  sinners  to  be 


40  AUTOJBIOGBAPHY  OF 

reconciled  to  God.  The  school  agcent  and  a 
few  others,  obtaining  hope  in  the  gospel,  pre- 
vented the  opposition  party  from  turning  me 
away,  till  I  had  kept  the  time  for  which  I  had 
engaged  the  school. 

The  first  winter  I  taught  school  in  Sandwich^ 
the  Rev.  Jonathan  Burr,  was  probably  an  un- 
converted minister,  and  opposed  to  experimen- 
tal religion.  The  third  and  last  winter  I  tauofht 
there,  he  became  a  new  man,  and  preached 
very  differently  from  what  he  had  hitherto 
done  ;  so  much  so,  that  another  minister  was 
procured  to  fill  his  place.  One  Sabbath  when 
Mr.  B.  got  to  the  pulpit  stairs,  in  order  to  go 
into  his  desk,  three  as  influential  men  as  there 
were  in  town,  stood  on  the  pulpit  stairs,  to  pre- 
vent Mr.  B.  from  going  into  his  pulpit.  Two 
of  those  men,  came  to  an  untimely  end  in  a 
very  short  time  after  this.  Mr.  Burr,  and  his 
friends,  repaired  to  Fessenden's  Hall,  and  he 
preached  there  until  they  built  a  new  meeting 
house  for  him. 

"  March  19th,     Went  to  Mr.  Moses  Kye,  to 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  41 

board.  He  has  of  late  found  comfort  in  his 
mind.  He  told  me,  that  "  last  winter  when  I 
boarded  in  his  family,  I  said  that  no  one  did 
any  thing  religiously  good,  until  his  heart  was 
changed."  He  said,  "  he  thought  I  judged 
very  hard,  but  I  believe  now  it  is  even  so." 

"March  20th.  Went  to  meeting — heard 
Eev.  Mr.  Burr  preach.  Went  to  Dr.  Leonard's, 
at  noon.  His  wife  told  me,  that  '  if  this  dis- 
turbance,' meaning  the  religious  interest  then 
in  progress,  '  would  stop  where  it  is,  she  believed 
it  might  do  good  in  stirring  the  people  up.5 
What  blind  and  deluded  creatures,  wishing  a 
revival  to  stop  where  it  is  !" 

"  I  find  that  the  scriptural  doctrine  o£  regen- 
eration^ or  the  new  birth,  meets  with  but  little 
favor  from  the  people  generally.  Indeed, 
knowing  that  the  human  heart  is  by  nature 
alienated  from  God,  "  at  enmity  with  Him,  not 
subject  to  his  law,  nor  can  be,"  and  in  order 
for  a  preparation  for  the  pure  and  holy  society 
of  heaven,  it  must  be  thoroughly  renewed  and 
sanctified  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  with  such  a 
4 


42  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

view  of  the  liTiman  heart,  and  the  necessity  of 
its  regeneration,  it  is  not  surprising,  when  the 
axe  of  divine  truth  is  laid  at  the  root  of  all  in 
which  vain  and  sinful  man  boasts,  that  there 
should  be  manifested  some  opposition ;  or,  that 
individuals  should  express  some  singular  views 
respecting  the  change  which  the  Spirit  of  God 
produces  in  regenerate  souls.  Were  there  no 
opposition  excited  in  the  preaching  of  the  Gos- 
pel, no  exhibition  of  truth  adapted  to  conflict 
with  the  selfishness,  perversity,  and  impenitence 
of  the  human  heart,  we  should  be  led  to  sup- 
pose that  such  preaching  was  not  according  to 
the  word  of  God,  "but  another  Gospel/' 
"  The  offence  of  the  cross,"  however,  has  not 
ceased,  nor  will  it,  as  long  as  a  single  soul 
remains  unsubdued  by  the  grace  of  God." 

When  the  Spirit,  therefore,  is  poured  out  and 
the  inquiry  is  heard  on  every  hand,  "  What 
shall  we  do  to  be  saved,"  it  is  the  discriminat- 
ing and  searching  truths  of  God's  word,  show- 
ing sinners  that  they  are  lost — undone — guilty 
— destitute  of  holiness— no  merit  or  righteous- 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  43 

ness  of  their  own — condemned  by  the  law  and 
deserving  hell ;  and  that  Christ  alone  can  save 
them,  and  willing  to  save  unto  the  uttermost ; 
— it  is  truths  of  this  character  which  not  onl;^ 
awaken  the  carnal  mind  to  see  its  true  condi- 
tion, but  they  lead,  every  year,  hundreds  and 
thousands  of  repenting  sinners  to  seek  salvation 
in  a  crucified  Redeemer. 


CHAPTER   Vn. 

Impressions  about  Preaching  —  Inquiries  respecting  a  passage 
in  Scripture  —  My  father  unwilling  for  me  to  preach  —  A 
teaching  Providence  —  House  and  lands  disposed  of  for  the 
Gospel's  sake  —  Way  of  duty  made  plain. 

Up  to  this  time,  I  had  been  repeatedly  asked, 
"  if  I  did  not  feel  it  my  duty  to  preach ;  "  I 
■uniformly  replied  to  such  inquiries  that  I  did 
not.  The  first  distinct  impression  I  had  about 
preaching,  was  while  I  was  teaching  school  in 
Barnstable,  in  that  part  of  the  town,  called 
Great  Marshes,  in  February,  1808. 

The  Congregational  minister  of  that  parish 
having  died,  and  as  it  was  customary  for  the 
neighboring  ministers  to  give  the  widow  one 
Sabbath's  service  each,  I  had  an  opportunity 
of  hearing  all  the  ministers  in  that  Association 
preach.  There  was  but  one  of  those  ministers 
that  I  heard  preach  or  pray,  who  gave  me  any 
evidence  that  he  had  experienced  a  change  of 


REV.  THOMAS  OONANT.  45 

heart.  I  do  not  think  that  I  judged  unchari- 
tably, when  I  say  of  all  the  rest,  they  appeared 
to  be  profoundly  ignorant  of  the  grace  of  God 
in  the  matter  of  Christian  experience,  or  of  the 
nature  of  evanfijelical  faith — the  faith  that  saves 
—  that  unites  the  soul  to  Christ  —  that  works 
by  love,  or  of  the  great  doctrine  of  an  atoning 
Saviour.  I  even  asked  one  of  them  a  year  after, 
whom  I  heard  preach  at  this  time,  at  the  house 
of  Mr.  Barnabas  Bates,  Bro.  Silas  Hall  being 
present,  what  he  thought  this  passage  of  Scrip- 
ture meant,  1  Peter  iii.  15.  '^  Be  ready  al- 
ways to  give  an  answer  to  every  man  that  asketh 
you,  a  reason  of  the  Ao^e  that  is  in  you,  with 
meekness  and  fear."  He  said,  that  "  Christians 
at  that  time  were  greatly  persecuted,  and  they 
were  to  give  the  reason  why  they  were  so  will- 
ing to  suffer  such  persecutions."  I  observed 
that  it  said  "  a  reason  of  the  liojpe  "  they  had 
within  them,  and,  whether  it  had  not  reference 
to  the  state  of  their  minds — ^the  reason  of  their 
hoping  they  were  Christians  ?  He  said  "  he 
thought  it  did."     I  then  asked  him  to  give  the 


46  AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF 

reason  of  his  hope.     He  said,   "  he  had  no  idea 
of  telling  his  experience  to  every  little  upstart." 

I  told  him  it  said,  we  must  "  be  ready  to  give 
to  every  man  that  asketh  you  the  reason^^  &c. 
Mr.  Bates  asked  me,  "  why  I  asked  Mr. 
Waterman,  to  tell  his  experience  ?"  I  told  him 
I  had  heard  several  of  his  hearers  say,  they  did 
not  think  he  had  ever  experienced  a  change  of 
heart ;  and  I  stated,  I  thought  so  too  by  what 
he  had  said  at  this  time.  Mr.  W.  took  up  his 
horse-whip,  and  lifted  it  above  me  and  said, 
"  if  it  were  not  for  the  name  of  it,  he  wduld 
lay  it  over  my  head."  Mr.  W.  professed  to  ex- 
perience a  change  of  heart  several  years  after. 

It  was  while  hearing  this  same  man  preach 
one  year  before,  that  I  perceived  the  first  im- 
pression on  my  mind,  that  I  ought  to  devote 
myself  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  As  soon, 
therefore,  as  I  returned  to  Bridge  water,  I  in- 
formed my  father  concerning  the  state  of  my 
mind,  and  stated  to  him,  I  thought  it  was  my 
duty  to  give  up  the  idea  of  living  near  him, 
having  the  care  of  him  and  his  property,  as  he 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  47 

had  requested  me  to,  and  to  make  immediate 
preparation  for  engaging  in  the  work  of  the 
ministry. 

My  father  said  he  was  unwilling  I  should 
take  this  course,  and  as  he  had  done  a  great 
deal  for  me  to  induce  me  to  live  near  him  and 
have  the  care  of  him,  I,  therefore,  ought  to  re- 
main with  him.  I  told  him,  I  knew  it,  but  my 
mind  was  so  impressed  with  the  subject  of  the 
ministry,  and  the  situation  of  sinners,  without 
hope,  and  "  without  God  in  the  world,"  that  I 
could  not  rest.  But  my  father  said  so  much, 
and  expressed  so  great  unwillingness  for  me  to 
leave  him,  that  for  the  time  being,  I  concluded 
to  give  up  the  idea  of  the  ministry.  A  provi- 
dence, however,  occurred  shortly  after,  which 
deepened  and  renewed  my  former  impressions , 
and  prepared  the  way,  in  which,  I  trust,  it  was 
the  will  of  God  for  me  to  jxo. 

I  was  at  work  at  my  trade  on  a  house  about 
two  miles  from  home,  when  the  stao-ino-  o-ave 
away  with  only  myself  upon  it.  I  fell  eighteen 
feet,  and  struck  upon  some  stone  steps.     I  put 


48  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OP 

out  several  bones  in  my  ancle  and  foot,  and 
split  one  bone  very  badly.  The  same  staging 
held  me  and  three  others  only  about  fifteen 
minutes  before  I  feU,  but  almost  as  soon  as  they 
were  off,  it  gave  way.  As  they  were  carrying 
me  home,  it  was  very  strongly  impressed  on  my 
mind,  that  it  was  the  providence  of  God  to 
open  the  way,  that  I  might  yet  preach  the  gos- 
pel. And  probably  it  was.  As  I  was  a  cripple 
a  considerable  part  of  a  year,  it  gave  me  an 
opportunity  to  study  which  I  endeavored  to  do. 
My  mind  became  more  and  more  dead  to  the 
world  during  those  days  of  affliction  than  ever 
before.  My  father  manifested  considerable 
concern,  because  I  took  so  little  notice  or  inter- 
est in  worldly  matters. 

My  brother  G.,  who  was  at  that  time  Pastor 
of  the  Congregational  church  in  P.,  came  home 
on  a  visit.  My  father  informed  him  that  I  ap- 
peared very  gloomy  —  that  I  manifested  but 
little  interest  in  the  aiFairs  of  this  world  —  that 
he  had  given  me  a  part  of  his  homestead  to  en- 
courage me  to  take  an  interest  in  his  business 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  49 

and  welfare^  but  it  was  all  to  no  purpose.  My 
brother  conversed  with  me,  and  wished  to 
know  what  made  me  so  melancholy.  I  told  him 
it  was  the  impression  I  had  about  preaching. 
He  went  to  my  father,  and  endeavored  to  pre- 
vail with  him  to  give  me  up,  and  let  me  pre- 
pare for  the  ministry,  for  he  did  not  think  I 
should  ever  be  worth  much  for  anything  else. 
My  father  after  considering  the  subject,  and 
giving  expression  to  his  feelings  in  tears  for 
several  days,  finally  consented  to  my  arrange- 
ment, in  which  the  will  of  God  seemed  most 
obvious,  on  condition  that  my  sister  and  her 
husband,  would  buy  my  place  and  live  near 
him  ;  for  he  could  not  think  of  a  stranger  com- 
ing to  live  so  near  him.  I  accordingly  made 
arrangements  with  my  brother-in-law,  having 
exchanged  places  with  him  upon  his  own 
terms. 

I  then  felt  that  houses,  lands  or  particular 
friends  and  relatives  were  trifles,  in  comparison 
with  winnino;  souls  to   Christ.     It  seemed  to 

CD 

me,  I  was  willing  to  make  any  earthly  sacrifice 


50  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

for  the  honor  and  service  of  my  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter. The  earnest  desire  of  laboring  to  promote 
the  kingdom  of  the  Redeemer,  and  save  souls 
from  death,  was  supreme  and  above  all  others ; 
and  that  I  was  ready  to  cut  the  last  tie  that 
bound  me  to  secular  interests  and  pecuniary 
concerns,  if  I  could  but  be  instrumental  in 
doing  good  to  the  souls  of  my  fellow  men.  I 
felt,  that,  with  all  the  indications  of  providence 
in  the  past,  united  with  those  of  the  present,  a 
way  indeed  was  being  opened,  in  which  I 
might  walk,  and  thus  devote  myself  to  the 
work  of  the  gospel  ministry.  I  exchanged 
places  with  my  brother-in-law  on  Friday,  and 
advertised  his  place  for  sale  the  next  day,  to 
be  sold  on  the  Monday  following,  to  the  high- 
est bidder. 


CHAPTER  yill. 

Commenced  studying  for  the  Ministry  —  State  of  Religion  in 
P.  —  Prayer  and  Conference  Meeting  established  —  Revival 
Opposition  —  Trials  about  going  to  College  —  Baptism  in 
P.  —  Correspondence  with  Luther  Rice  on  the  subject  of 
Baptism.  • 

The  same  week  on  Thursday,  October,  1809, 
in  which  I  disposed  of  all  my  worldly  entangle- 
ments on  the  Monday  previous,  I  set  out  for  P. 
to  study  with  my  brother.  There  was  at  this 
time,  particularly  among  the  Baptists,  no 
school  of  the  prophets,  to  which  a  young  man 
desirious  of  preparing  himself  for  the  gospel 
ministry,  might  go.  Opportunities,  therefore,  for 
study,  or,  indeed,  encouragements  offered,  were 
very  limited,  compared  with  those  at  the  present 
day.  And  thus  many  among  the  Baptists, 
whom  God  called  by  his  Spirit  to  preach  the 
gospel,  entered  immediately  upon  the  work 
without  the  advantges  of  either  a  collegiate  or 


52 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 


theological  education.  It  may  be,  however, 
under  the  circumstances  of  the  case  —  the  call 
for  laborers — the  prevalence  of  error  —  the 
character  of  the  work  to  be  done,  that  God 
blessed  the  instrumentality  of  his  own  selection 
in  building  up  his  cause  to  an  extent,  perhaps, 
at  that  time,  equal  to  any  subsequent  period 
since. 

Soon  after  my  arrival  in  P.,  I  found  there 
were  but  few  in  the  place  who  believed  in  ex- 
perimental religion.  One  of  my  brother's  dea- 
cons was  a  Universalist  in  sentiment ;  a  part 
of  his  church  were  Arminians,  and  a  few  only 
believed  in  what  are'  called  Calvinistic  senti- 
ments. The  whole  town,  however,  went  to  his 
meeting.  I  proposed  to  my  brother  and  sev- 
eral members  of  his  church,  if  they  did  not 
think  it  would  be  well  to  have  a  prayer  and 
conference  meeting.  They  said  they  attempted 
it  once  or  twice  a  few  years  before,  but  there 
was  so  much  opposition  from  the  Universalists 
and  others,  that  they  gave  it  up.  And  they 
furthermore  said,  they  did  not  think  there  was 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  53 

sufficient  strength  to  carry  on  such  a  meeting. 
But  I  persevered,  until  I  got  a  man  who  be- 
longed to  the  society,  but  not  the  church,  to 
consent  for  me  to  appoint  a  prayer  meeting  at  his 
house,  which  I  did,  and  also  at  other  houses, 
without  any  particular  opposition,  for  six 
months.  The  meeting,  however,  during  this 
time,  did  not  meet  with  general  favor  from  the 
members  of  the  church ;  and  besides,  my 
brother  knowing  the  diversity  of  views  that 
then  prevailed  in  regard  to  the  meetings,  did 
not  give  that  hearty  support  to  them  which  he 
otherwise  would  doubtless  have  done.  It  was 
not  long  before  indicatiohs  of  the  Spirit's  pres- 
ence were  manifested  hi  the  community,  and 
particularly  in  our  meeting ;  and,  then,  those 
who  had  spiritual  life  began  to  fall  in  with  the 
work. 

This  revival  spread  into  Holden  and  Spencer. 
About  two  hundred,  it  was  supposed,  obtained 
hopes  in  the  mercy  of  God  during  the  year,  in 
all  these  towns,  and  quite  a  number  became 
Baptists.     Nor  was  this  work  of  the  Spirit  in 


54  AtTTOBlOGIiAl>HY  OF 

Ills  convincing  and  converting  power,    without 
some  instances  of  marked  opposition. 

The  following  note  I  put   down  at  this  time  : 

1.  "  For  several  weeks  past,  I  have  had  great 
trials  in  my  mind  about  going  to  college.  The 
importance  of  thorough  intellectual  training 
cannot  be  questioned.  Sanctified  attainments 
are  an  acceptable  offering  to  the  Lord."  The 
responsible  and  divinely  appointed  work  of  the 
christian  ministry  clearly  demands  that  human 
acquisitions  should  be  associated  with  those 
which  the  grace  of  Grod  alone  can  furnish.  It 
may  be  said  of  every  minister  of  Christ,  not 
that  he  needs  less  of  human  learning,  but  he 
needs  mo7'e  of  the  teaching  Spirit,  and  the  mind 
of  his  great  Master. 

2.  "  These  words  have  come  to  my  mind 
with  such  power,  that  I  have  felt  "  woe  is 
me,"  if  I  do  not  go  directly  and  preach 
the  gospel.  "  I  say  unto  you,  lift  up  your  eyes 
and  look  on  the  fields,  for  they  are  white 
already  to  harvest."  The  question  presented 
to  my  mind  was  this,  and  it  was  one   of  no    or- 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  55 

dlnary  magnitude  :  shall  I  spend  the  four  years 
or  more  to  come  in  securing  an  education,  or  do 
what  I  can  with  the  preparation  I  now  have,  and 
the  blessing  of  the  Lord,  in  laboring  to  win  souls 
to  Christ?  My  convictions  of  duty,  the  worth 
of  the  soul,  the  uncertainty  of  life,  and  an  irre- 
pressible desire  to  promote  the  kingdom  of  the 
Redeemer,  induced  me  to  incline  to  the  latter 
course." 

As  there  were  some  in  P.,  where  the  good 
work  of  God  first  commenced,  who  had  em- 
braced the  views  of  Baptists,  we  sent  to  Tem- 
pleton,  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles,  for  Elder 
Elijah  Andrews,  to  come  to  the  place  and  bap- 
tize. This  was  the  first  instance  of  baptism  by 
immersion  known  in  that  town.  He  also  bap- 
tized a  number  in  the  neighboring  town  of 
Holden  about  that  time. 

It  was  while  residing  in  P.,  that  I  became 
acquainted  with  Mr.  Luther  Rice.  He  taught 
school  in  the  place,  while  he  was  a  member  of 
William's  Colleo;e.  I  reo^arded  him  then,  as  a 
young  man  of  sincere  piety  and  devotion  to 


66  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

God.  He  was  greatly  interested  in  all  that 
pertained  to  the  cause  of  religion.  He  was  a 
Congregationalist  in  profession,  and  was  study- 
ing with  a  view  to  the  Christian  ministry.  With 
respectable  talents  and  earnest  piety,  he  bid  fair 
to  become  a  useful  laborer,  as  he  did,  in  the 
vineyard  of  his  Lord  and  Master. 

After  Mr.  Eice  became  a  Baptist,  he  spoke 
of  a  correspondence  which  he  had  with  a  friend 
many  years  before  upon  the  subject  of  baptism, 
and  which  he  regarded  as  the  principal  means 
of  calling  his  attention  to  the  subject,  and 
which,  at  that  early  period,  though  he  was  af- 
terwards ordained  as  a  Congregationalist,  fast- 
ened conviction  on  his  mind,  as  to  the  correct- 
ness of  Baptist  views,  until  he  changed  his  opin- 
ions, and  openly  avowed  himself  a  Baptist. 
On  the  return  of  Mr.  Eice  from  P.  to  Wil- 
liam's College,  and  at  the  request  of  my  broth- 
er, who  desired  that  I  might  be  convinced  of 
my  error  in  being  a  Baptist,  he  wrote  me  a  let- 
ter upon  the  subject  of  baptism.  I  repHed  to 
it.     Another  was  sent,  and  then  another,  until 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  57 

four  communications  from  each  of  us  had 
passed  and  repassed  upon  the  subject.  It  was 
to  this  epistolary  correspondence  he  referred, 
which  was  the  primary  means  in  the  providence 
of  God  of  leading  him  to  become  a  Baptist. 
Instead  of  convincing  me,  as  my  brother  hoped 
he  would,  and  turning  me  from  supposed  error, 
he  himself  was  convinced  of  the  unsoundness 
and  unscripturalness  of  his  own  views  upon 
infant  sprinkling,  until  his  convictions  ripened 
into  an  honest  confession  and  profession  of  the 
truth  of  baptism  by  immersion,  and  that  believ- 
ers were  the  only  proper  and  scriptural  subjects 
of  that  ordinance. 
5 


CHAPTER  IX. 

My  brother's  Ordination  —  Discussion  npon  Infant  Church 
Membership  —  Dr.  Emmons —  A  call  at  his  house  in  Frank- 
lin —  Conversation  upon  Baptism  and  the  Baptists  —  His 
published  sentiments  at  fault  with  his  practice  —  Extracts 
from  his  Conventional  Sermon  —  Decided  to  go  into  the 
Ministry. 

Here  I  would  take  the  liberty  of  introducing 
a  somewhat  singular,  and  at  the  same  time  an 
interesting  fact.  It  explains  in  part  certainly 
the  grand  difficulty  which  is  interwoven  into 
the  policy  of  Congregational  churches ;  and 
by  which  they  are  environed,  and  noth- 
ing will  relieve  them,  in  my  humble  opin- 
ion, but  an  entire  abandonment  of  the  unscrip- 
tural  and  traditional  doctrine  of  infant  sprink- 
ling. It  will  be  seen  in  the  sequel,  how  the 
minds  of  Congregational  Ministers  were  affect- 
ed at  that  day  as  well  as  at  the  present  time, 
by  the  false  position  into  which  they  are 
thrown,  in  consequence  of  clingino;  to  that  un- 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  59 

Sightly  excrescence  which  mars  the  beauty  and 
simphcity  of  a  Gospel  church. 

The  first  visit  I  ever  made  to  P.,  was  to  at- 
tend the  ordination  of  my  brother  in  that  town. 
When  the  council  had  convened,  he  asked  his 
brethren  if  there  would  be  any  objection  to  his 
brother,  meaning  myself,  being  present  with 
them  during  his  examination.  They  said  there 
would  not.  Among  other  questions  which  were 
asked  my  brother,  one  was  this,  "  When  you 
baptize  infants,  shall  you  consider  them  in 
the  church  or  not  ?"  He  replied,  "  in  the 
church  in  part,  but  not  in  full."  "  What !"  said 
one  of  the  council,  "  partly  in  the  church  and 
partly  out  ?"  He  said  "  yes,"  and  there  it  was 
left,  until  the  council  arose  and  went  into  anoth- 
er room  On  their  return  I  took  the  liberty  to 
make  a  remark  something  like  this :  "  It  ap- 
pears to  me  that  you' have  left  one  wheel  in  the 
mire  this  evening."  Dr.  Emmons  immediately 
asked  "  what  was  that."  I  told  him  in  respect 
to  infants  being  partly  in  the  church  and  part- 
ly out — a  kind  of  purgatory.     This  remark  led 


60  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

US  to  talk  upon   the    subject  of  baptism   until 

near  midnight,  and  then  again  in  the   morning. 

Dr.  E.  asked  me  to  call  on  him  in  Franklin,  on 

my  return  home,  and  spend  the  night  with  him. 

I  did  so.     As  soon  as  I  entered  the   house,  he 

said  he  was  glad  to  see  me,    and  now   said   he, 

"  I  am  going  to  give  you  a  whipping." 

We  conversed  a  long  time   that   night,    and 

the  next  morning  upon  the  subject  of  baptism, 

and  the  Baptist   denomination.     Among   other 

thino;s  he  said :  "  he  was  wilhno;  for  an   Armi- 
es o 

nian,  or  a  Unitarian  to  preach  in  his  meeting 
house,"  for,  said  he,  "  I  can  go  the  next  Sab- 
bath and  pull  it  all  down  ;"  but  in  his  conver- 
sation he  said,  "  he  was  not  willing  for  a  Ba^- 
tist  to  preach  in  his  house  upon  baptism." 
Well,  said  I,  you  think  you  cannot  go  the  next 
Sabbath  and  pull  it  all  down,  I  suppose  ? 

I  informed  him  also,  that  in  a  sermon  he 
preached  a  few  years  ago,  before  the  Conven- 
tion of  Congregational  ministers,  you  advanced 
there  these  ideas :  that  he  who  did  the  will  of 
God  would  Icnow  whether  the  doctrine  was    of 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  61 

God  or  man.  But  as  you  have  said  in  our  con- 
versation, you  did  not  think  that  the  apostles 
practiced  baptism  only  one  way,  and  that  you 
have  said,  you  did  not  know  whether  it  was  by 
sprinkling  or  immersion^  therefore,  I  should 
not  think  you  had  done  the  will  of  God  con- 
cerning the  mode  of  baptism.  He  put  his  hand 
to  his  head,  scratched  it,  and  said,  "  Ah  !  I  be- 
lieve I  shall  never  convince  you  of  your  error." 
The  sermon  of  Dr.  Emmons,  to  which  I 
referred,  was  preached  May  31st,  1804,  three 
years  before  I  had  this  conversation  with  him. 
It  may  be  found  in  a  collection  of  his  Sermons, 
page  181,  vol.  1.  He  says,  "  the  notion  that 
men  ought  not  to  blame  one  another  for  think- 
ing differently  upon  religious  subjects,  is  built 
on  the  principle  that  men  can  really  know  that 
their  sentiments  are  certainly  right.  But  this 
is  a  false  principle  —  because  there  is  a  plain 
and  infallible  rule  of  faith  which  gives  those 
who  conform  to  it  certain  evidence  of  their  be- 
Keving  the  truth.  And  a  certainty  of  being  in 
sentiment  is  very  different  from  the  strongest 


62  AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF 

confidence  of  being:  so.  Those  who  embrace 
error  may  be  extremely  confident  that  they 
have  the  truth,  and  they  may  mistake  confi- 
dence for  a  certainty.  But  should  they  actu- 
ally embrace  the  truth,  they  will  then  know 
that  their  present  opinion  is  right,  and  that 
their  fi)rmer  was  wrong." 

Dr.  Emmons  told  me  at  this  time  also,  that 
he  did  not  think  that  any  one  certainly  knew 
in  respect  to  the  mode  and  subjects  of  baptism, 
which  way  was  right,  whether  sprinkling  or  im- 
mersion. He  says  in  the  same  Sermon  quoted 
above,  "  A  man  must  not  only  know  the  truth, 
but  hnow  that  he  knows  it." 

Thus  it  seemed  to  me,  that  his  published 
sentiments  were  at  fault  with  his  practice. 
And  the  same  remark  will  apply  with  equal 
force  to  scores  of  other  Pedo-baptists,  or 
Congregational  writers  upon  the  subject  of 
baptism.  While  they  admit  the  fact  of  im- 
mersion as  being  the  primitive  mode  of  bap- 
tism, and  admit  too,  that  infant  sprinkling  is 
nowhere  to  be  found  in  the  Bible  as  an  express 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  63 

divine  command,  yet  this  practice  conflicts  with 
their  theory,  and  presents  to  the  world,  one  of 
the  most  singular  religious  inconsistencies 
which  ever  occurred  in  the  history  of  the 
church. 

I  continued  to  study  with  my  brother  until 
the  last  of  July,  1809,  and  held  meetings  the 
last  of  my  time  there,  either  in  P.  or  in  Hol- 
den,  almost  every  evening,  and  at  the  usual 
hour  on  the  Sabbath.  Meetings  were  held  in 
Holden,  at  brothers  Thos.  Marshall's,  J.  Wal- 
ker's, and  P.  Allen's. 

About  this  time,  I  was  very  much  impressed 
again,  that  it  was  not  my  duty  to  go  to  College, 
but  to  engage  at  once  in  the  work  of  preaching 
the  gospel.  I  felt  that  necessity  was  laid  upon 
me  more  than  ever  before,  and  that  "  woe  was 
me,"  if  I  did  not  go  directly  into  my  Master's 
vineyard,  and  labor  for  the  advancement  of  his 
cause.  In  fact,  I  had  taken  texts  of  Scripture 
and  spoken  from  them  at  private  houses  on  the 
Sabbath  for  several  months  before  this  time. 
The  first  instance  I  recollect  of  attempting  to 


64  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

preavii,  and  for  this  purpose  selected  a  text, 
was  on  the  sixth  of  November,  1808,  at  the 
house  of  brother  J.  Walker's,  in  Holden.  On 
leaving  P.,  I  went  directly  home  to  my  father's 
house  in  Bridgewater.  My  mind  was  delib- 
erately and  fully  decided  to  waive  all  the  antic- 
ipated advantages  which  would  result  from  a 
collegiate  course  of  study,  and  immediately 
ensrasre  in  the  work  of  the  ministrv. 


CHAPTEK  X. 

License  to  preacli  —  Warren  Association — Dr.  Sharp  —  Dr. 
Baldwin  —  First  preaching  tour  —  Labors  in  Barnstable  — 
Teaching  School  —  Revival  —  Brewster  —  Orleans  —  Chat 
ham  —  Baptism  of  Congregationalists  by  Baptist  Ministers. 

The  Sabbath  after  my  arrival  borne,  I  went 
to  tbe  first  cburcb  in  Middleboro',  to  wbicb  I 
belonged  and  spoke  before  tbe  brethren  and 
sisters,  and  received  from  them  a  license  to  im- 
prove my  gift  in  preaching  wherever  God  in 
His  Providence  might  open  the  way. 

The  first  Baptist  Association  I  ever  attended^ 
was  the  Warren  Association,  which  met  at 
Haverhill,  on  the  first  Wednesday  in  Septem- 
ber, 1809.  All  the  Baptist  churches  in  Ehode 
Island,  and  most  of  those  in  Massachusetts,  ex- 
cept a  few  in  the  westerly  part  of  the  State 
which  belonged  to  the  Sturbridge  Association 
were  represented  on  this  occasion.  Dr.  D.  Sharp, 


66  ,  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

wlio  was  from  New  Jersey,  met  with  us  for  the 
first  time.  He  oiierecl  one  of  the  prayers  dur- 
ing the  session  of  the  Association.  But  as  he 
wore  a  ruffle  in  his  bosom,  and  besides  had  his 
hair  well  powdered,  those  of  us  who  were  not  ac- 
customed to  see  such  things  in  a  Baptist  minister 
were  somewhat  disgusted.  First  impressions 
however,  are  liable  to  mislead.  Dr.  S.  lived 
long  enough  in  our  midst  as  an  exemplary 
Christian,  and  a  devoted  and  able  minister  of 
Christ,  to  remove  all  our  prejudices  against 
him.  It  is  quite  probable  his  habits  changed 
in  a  measure,  and  ours  likewise,  for  we  are 
changeable  creatures.  Even  Dr.  Baldwin,  in 
the  first  part  of  his  ministry  in  Boston,  on  a 
certain  occassion,  devoted  nearly  half  an  hour 
in  preaching  against  ministers  wearing  a  sur- 
plice, or  black  gown,  with  very  great  sleeves 
and  ministerial  band  ;  he  then  called  them  the 
badges  of  the  great  whore  of  Babylon.  But 
some  years  after  when  he  was  chosen  chaplain 
of  the  House  of  Eepresentatives,  he  could  not 
go  into  the  State  House  to  make  a  prayer, 
without  wearino^  his  gown  and  band. 


REV.  THOMAS    CONANJ.  67 

In  a  few  weeks  after  the  meeting  of  the 
Warren  Association,  I  set  out  on  my  fii;st 
preaching  tour .  I  went  to  Barnstable  where  I 
had  my  first  impressions  about  preaching.  I 
found  it,  however,  exceedingly  difficult  to  get 
any  one  in  Great  Marshes,  to  open  his  door  for 
Baptist  preaching. 

The  minister.  Rev.  Enoch  Pratt,  who  was 
there  at  that  time,  was  an  unconverted  man, 
which  fact,  he  publicly  acknowledged  several 
years  afterwards  in  the  Baptist  meeting  house 
in  Brewster,  while  I  was  pastor  of  the  church 
in  that  place  in  1835.  He  rose  of  his  own  ac- 
cord, and  stated  before  the  whole  assembly, 
that  he  preached  four  years  before  he  ever  ex- 
perienced a  change  of  heart. 

As  it  was  difficult  to  procure  a  private  house 
in  which  to  preach,  no  door  being  open  for  my 
reception,  instead  of  being  defeated  in  the  ob- 
ject of  my  visit,  I  determined  to  go  into  every 
house,  and  call. upon  every  family,  from  How- 
land's  Tavern,  as  it  was  then  called,  to  Barn- 
stable   Court  House,   which  was   four   or  five 


68  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

miles,  and  converse  with  every  one  as  well  as  I 
knew  how,  npon  the  subject  of  religion.  In 
prosecuting  this  course,  I  was  turned  out  of 
doors  three  times  in  one  day.  One  person 
who  requested  me  to  leave  her  house  which  I 
did,  but  kept  talking  to  them  all  the  time,  fol- 
lowed me  down  to  the  front  door  yard,  and  as 
I  shut  the  gate  to  leave  them,  she  bid  me  God 
speed  !  A  few  years  after,  as  I  passed  through 
the  place,  I  was  told  that  lawyer  Nye's  wife 
had  her  attention  arrested  by  the  truth,  from 
what  I  said  to  her  on  that  day,  when  I  called 
at  so  many  houses. 

From  Barnstable,  I  passed  on  to  Bass  Eiver, 
in  Yarmouth.  As  I  went  to  the  warfare  at  my 
own  charges,  I  engaged  a  school  in  that  place, 
and  preached  both  in  the  school-house  where  I 
taught,  and  in  a  school-house  in  the  adjoining 
district,  and  also  in  some  private  houses.  A 
revival  of  religion  commenced,  and  twenty-five 
obtained  hope  during  that  winter  and  spring, 
and  connected  themselves  with  the  Baptist 
churches  in  Hyannis   and  Harwich.     I  went 


REV.  TH03IAS    CONANT,  69 

from  this  place  to  Brewster,  and  preached 
there  several  times  in  private  houses,  and  also 
in  a  school-house.  I  passed  on  to  Orleans,  and 
preached  there  several  times  as  opportunity  of- 
fered, in  private  dwellings. 

Several  years  after  this,  five  of  the  members 
of  the  Congregational  church  in  Orleans  were 
chosen  to  draw  up  new  articles  of  faith  and 
practice  for  that  church.  Two  or  three  of  the 
committee  were  seamen,  and  during  the  inte- 
rim were  absent  at  sea,  but  when  the  entire 
committee  came  together  to  compare  their 
views  and  sentiments,  a  majority  of  the  commit- 
tee presented  essentially  Calvinistic  Baptist  ar- 
ticles of  faith  and  practice.  In  forming  their 
opinion,  it  was  understood,  they  were  to  con- 
sult no  book  but  the  Bible. 

About  this  time,  some  of  the  members  of  the 
Cono;reo;ational  church  in  Chatham,  were  tried 
upon  the  subject  of  believer's  baptism.  Bro. 
David  Curtis,  a  Baptist  minister,  baptized  at 
one  time,  eighteen  of  the  members  of  the 
church,   who   continued   their    membership  in 


70  AUTOBIOGRAPHY, 

the  same  cliurcli  some  time  after.  One  of  tlie 
deacons,  who  carried  round  the  bread  and  wine 
at  that  time,  told  me  afterwards,  he  did  not 
partake  of  the  sacrament  himself,  and  informed 
his  pastor  of  the  fact,  that  he  could  not  partake 
of  it,  because  he  did  not  think  he  had  been 
baptized.  The  Congregational  minister  of  Or- 
leans sent  to  Bro.  Simeon  Crowell,  of  Bass 
River,  to  come  and  baptize  ten  of  the  members 
of  his  church,  which  he  did.  After  a  while 
most  of  those  who  had  been  baptized,  came  out 
and  assisted  in  forming  Baptist  churches  in 
both  of  the  fore-mentioned  towns,  viz.,  Chat- 
ham and  Orleans.  And  besides,  when  I  first 
visited  these  places,  I  found  but  one  Baptist 
professor  in  each  of  them,  nor  was  there  any 
minister  in  either  town,  of  any  denomination, 
that  believed  in  experimental  religion. 


CHAPTEE  XI. 

Free  passage  offered  to  Maine —  Nantucket  —  Landed  on  Cape 
Poge  instead  of  Holmes'  Hole— Meetings  on  Chappaquid- 
dic  — Invited  to  Edgartown  — Meetings  — Opposition  — A 

.  young  man  powerfully  convicted  —  Sunrise  meeting  at  Dr. 
Wheldon's  —  An  incident  at  the  Prayer  Meeting  —  Meetings 
in  Tisbury  —  Mr.  Prince  Rogers. 

After  laboring  in  those  towns  mentioned  in 
the  preceding  chapter,  Capt.  Farras,  of  Bass 
River,  gave  me  an  invitation  to  go  down  to  the 
State  (Territory)  of  Maine  with  him,  in  his  ves- 
sel ;  he  said  he  would  carry  me  free  from  all 
expense.  I  concluded  to  comply  with  his  invi- 
tation, and  accordingly  took  our  departure  for 
the  East.  After  we  had  set  sail,  and  got  some 
little  distance  on  our  way,  the  wind  changed, 
and  as  it  was  ahead,  we  put  into  Nantucket. 
While  we  lay  there  wind-bound,  I  inquired  of 
the  captain,  how  long  he  supposed  we  should 
have  to  remain  there  ?  He  said  he  could  not 
tell.     As  it  was  a  matter  of  so  much  uncertain- 


72  AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF 

ty,  I  told  him  I  should  give  up  my  purpose  of 
going  with  him  to  the  East ;  and  as  there  was 
a  sail-boat  about  to  start  for  Holmes'  Hole,  and 
as  I  had  had  an  invitation  a  few  weeks  before, 
to  visit  the  place,  I  concluded  I  would  go  there 
instead  of  going  with  him. 

It  was  some  time  in  the  month  of  August, 
near  the  middle  of  it,  I  should  judge,  1810, 
when  I  left  Nantucket,  with  the  intention  of 
going  to  Holmes'  Hole,  but  for  some  reason  or 
other,  I  do  not  know  precisely,  unless  it  was 
because  I  conversed  with  the  men  in  the  boat, 
upon  the  subject  of  religion,  though  they  had 
agreed  to  carry  me  to  Holmes'  Hole,  they  put 
nie  ashore  on  the  first  land  we  came  to,  which 
was  Cape  Poge,  on  the  Island  of  Chappaquid- 
dic,  making  me  think,  by  their  representations, 
that  it  was  a  part  of  the  place  where  they 
agreed  to  carry  me. 

I  went  into  the  first  house  I  came  to,  and  in- 
quired for  the  names  of  those  men  who  had  in- 
vited me  to  visit  Holmes'  Hole.  They  said, 
"  They  did  not  know  such  men."     I  inquired. 


li^y.  THOaiAS    CONANT.  73 

if  where  I  saw  vessels  was  not  Holmes'  Hole  ? 
They  said  it  was  not,  but  Edgartown.  Find- 
ing I  had  been  imposed  upon  by  the  men  who 
put  me  on  shore  in  that  place,  I  concluded  I 
would  improve  the  providence  so  far  as  I  was 
able,  and  converse  with  the  people  upon  the 
-subject  of  religion.  I  did  so  as  I  went  up  the 
Island,  toward  Edgartown  harbor. 

I  commenced  holding  meetings  at  the  house 
of  Mr.  Benjamin  Pease,  on  Chappaquiddic.  I 
preached  there  all  day,  and  in  the  evening,  on 
the  first  Sabbath,  which  was  the  day  after  T 
landed  on  the  island.  I  held  prayer  meetings 
^t  the  rising  of  the  sun  on  each  morning,  and 
preached  every  evening  during  the  first  part  of 
the  week,  at  some  private  house.  I  had  been 
there  but  a  few  days,  before  one  obtained  a 
liope,  which  seemed  to  excite  some  opposition, 
as  there  was.no  other  preaching  at  Edgartown, 
or  on  Chappaquiddic,  at  that  time,  but  Unita- 
rianism,  or,  as  it  was  more  properly  termed. 
Arminianism. 

I  was  invited  by  Mr.  Thomas  M.  Coffin,  who 


74  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

is  now  living,  and  a  worthy  member  of  the 
Methodist  church  in  E.,  to  come  across  the 
harbor  to  Edgartown,  and  preach  in  his  house 
or  hall  in  the  upper  part  of  the  building. 
When  I  visited  the  island,  and  called  at  E.,  in 
1853,  I  saw  Mr.  C,  and  conversed  with  him 
and  others  of  the  aged  members  of  the  commu- 
nity, upon  the  scenes  of  the  past.  It  brought 
vividly  to  my  mind  by-gone  and  deeply  interest- 
ing events  which  transpired  in  this  place  — 
events  pertaining  not  simply  to  the  ordinary 
affairs  of  life,  or  the  changes  which  death,  or 
removals,  or  the  progress  of  years  may  have 
produced,  but  those  in  which  the  religious 
welfare  of  our  fellow-men  were  concerned, 
when  the  Spirit  was  poured  out,  and  sinners 
were  translated  from  the  darkness  of  sin  into 
the  marvellous  light  of  the  gospel.  Events  of 
this  character  are  deeply  interesting  to  contem- 
plate in  after  years,  when  old  age  furrows  the 
countenance  and  Avhitens  the  locks,  we  can 
look  back  to  the  period  when  the  dawn  of  spir- 
itual life  first  enlightened  the  darkened  under- 


HEV.  THOMAS  CON  ANT.  75 

standings  of  men,  and  inspired  their  souls  with 
tlie  hope  of  pardon  through  Jesus  Christ. 
And  again,  to  know,  also,  that  years  after  such 
precious  visitations  of  the  Spirit,  there  are 
those  who  are  j^ressing  on  to  the  heavenly  Ca- 
naan, and  bringing  forth  the  fruits  of  righteous- 
ness in  old  affe  —  this  is  matter  of  devout 
thanksgiving  and  praise  to  God.  Reflections 
like  the  foregoing,  naturally  occupied  my  mind 
during  my  last  visit  to  E.,  when  I  remembered 
the  great  and  good  work  of  God,  and  the  con- 
version of  souls  which  I  had  witnessed  in  the 
place,  nearly  fifty  years  ago. 

The  very  first  meeting  I  held  in  Edgartown, 
I  was  seized  by  the  mob,  while  I  was  preach- 
ing, and  dragged  out  of  the  hall  backward, 
down  stairs,  and  out  of  doors.  I  continued 
talking,  however,  all  the  time ;  and  while  I 
was  speaking  at  the  door,  to  the  multitude 
around  the  building  and  in  the  street,  a  young 
man  was  so  powerfully  wrought  upon,  that  he 
fell  to  the  floor  in  the  hall,  and  cried  for  mercy. 
He  said,  "he  wished  me  to  pray  for  him."     I 


76  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

told  the  mob  at  the  door,  of  the  fact,  and  wish- 
ed they  would  excuse  me  from  talking  to  them 
any  longer,  for  there  was  a  man  at  the  head  of 
the  stairs  in  great  distress  of  mind,  who  desir- 
ed me  to  pray  for  him.  I  did  so  ;  and  no  one 
offered  the  least  harm,  or  molestation.  At  the 
close  of  the  meeting,  I  inquired  if  there  was 
any  one  who  desired  me  to  appoint  a  prayer- 
meeting  at  his  house  the  next  morning  at  sun- 
rise ?  A  man  by  the  name  of  Dr.  Whelden, 
who  was  the  principal  physician  in  the  town, 
asked  me  to  appoint  it  at  his  house- 

This  man,  soon  after  this,  and  not  far  from 
the  time  of  Mr.  Davis'  visit  to  Edgartown, 
with  myself,  which  was  the  following  year, 
1811,  obtained  a  hope  in  the  mercy  of  God. 
He  was  a  person  of  more  than  ordinary  physi- 
cal streno-th,  combined  with  o-reat  force  and  en- 
ergy  of  character.  His  distress  of  mind  arising 
from  conviction  of  sin,  was  intense.  His  expe- 
rience was  a  most  striking  proof  of  the  peculiar 
work  of  the  Spirit,  in  convincing  "  of  sin,  of 
righteousness,    and   of  judgment."      For  days 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  77 

and  weeks,  his  mind  was  in  such  a  state  of  an- 
guish that  lie  was  scarcely  able  to  attend  to  his 
professional  duties,  and  besides,  many  nights 
he  walked  his  room,  bewailing  his  condition  as 
a  guilty  and  condemned  sinner.  But  deliver- 
ance at  last  came  to  his  soul,  as  it  does  to  every 
penitent,  seeking  his  God  and  Saviour.  The 
hope  which  sprang  up  in  his  mind,  and  the 
love  of  Grod  shed  abroad  in  his  heart,  were,  to 
him,  as  the  transition  from  midnight  to  meridi- 
an day  —  from  sickness  to  health  —  from  death 
to  life  ;  —  "  old  things  passed  away,  and  all 
things  became  new."  He  at  once  interested 
himself  in  the  cause  of  experimental  religion, 
and  openly  espoused  the  interests,  labors  and 
sacrifices  of  the  people  of  God.  In  those  days, 
when  the  friends  of  evangelical  piety  were  but 
few,  his  house  was  thrown  open,  his  table  was 
spread,  and  his  pecuniary  resources  were 
cheerfully  given,  as  so  many  expressions  of  his 
attachment  and  love  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Je- 
sus. It  cost  him  something  to  be  a  follower  of 
Christ,  but  the  sacrifices  were   freely   and  joy- 


78  AUTOBIOGHAPHY  OF 

fully  made.  He  became  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church.  He  lived  to  a  orood  old  ao-e.  His  de- 
parture  from  this  world  to  the  world  of  spirits, 
was  as  quiet  and  calm  as  the  summer  evening. 
It  was  like  the  sinking  of  the  orb  of  day  be- 
neath the  western  horizon  —  serene  and  cloud- 
less.    He  died  in  1841. 

An  incident  is  related  of  him  that  while  Mr. 
Davis  was  preaching  one  evening  in  his  house, 
a  large  number  gathered  outside  to  interrupt 
the  services,  or  to  offer  some  violence  to  the 
minister,  Dr.  Whelden,  then  in  the  vigor  and 
energy  of  manhood,  stood  before  the  opposing 
party  and  declared  that  before  any  should  lay 
their  hands  upon  the  minister,  he  would  lose 
every  drop  of  blood  in  his  heart.  No  further 
attempt  was  made  to  break  up  the  meeting  that 
night.  At  this  time,  during  the  labors  of  Mr. 
Davis  and  myself,  there  was  an  extensive  work 
of  grace  in  all  this  part  of  the  Island,  many 
were  converted,  and  some  are  still  living  who 
know  of  the  tliino;s  whereof  I  write.  The 
meetings  and  the  work  were  greatly  opposed, 


KEY.  THOMAS  CONANT.  79 

but  still  the  Spirit  wrought  wonders  in  the  eon- 
version  of  the  stout  hearted,  and  those  who 
were  very  far  from  religious  things. 

Another  incident  is  related  which  occurred 
about  this  time ;  while  the  house  was  sur- 
rounded by  many  who  came  to  oppose  the 
meeting,  and  exhibited  threatening  purposes,  a 
certain  woman  came  into  the  street  in  front  of 
the  house,  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  "  Fire  ! 
Fire  !  FIRE  !  "  Ma^ny  rushed  from  the  steps^ 
entry,  and  from  the  inside  of  the  house,  and 
exclaimed  with  surprise  and  alarm,  "  where  ? 
WHERE  ?  "  She  replied,  "  in  hell,  and  you 
will  soon  be  into  it."  It  had  a  wonderful  effect 
in  quieting  the  perverse  spirit  of  the  opposing 
multitude. 

There  are  now  three  Evanorelical  churches  in 

o 

this  town,  —  the  Congregational,  Methodist, 
and  Baptist ;  all  of  which  are  able  to  support 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  The  change  there 
in  these  respects,  is  very  great,  compared  with 
the  state  of  things  when  I  first  visited  the 
place. 


80  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

After  a  visit  to  Holmes'  Hole,  where  I  held 
meetings,  I  went  to  West  Tisbury,  and  there 
also  I  held  a  number  of  meetings  and  preached 
one  afternoon  in  the  Congregational  meeting- 
house. Eev.  Mr,  Hatch  was  the  settled  min- 
ister of  the  place.  The  last  meeting  I  held  in 
that  part  of  the  town,  was,  as  I  have  since 
learned,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Prince  Eogers. 

This  man  heard  of  my  preaching  at  Gay 
Head  in  the  fall  of  1853,  and  came  eleven 
miles  to  my  meeting.  He  appeared  highly 
gratified  to  see  me,  and  seemed  to  think  it 
strano-e.  that  I  could  not  remember  him  and 
my  preaching  at  his  house  over  forty  years  ago ! 
He  said,  one  man  by  the  name  of  Whitcomb, 
remained  after  meeting  till  a  late  hour,  so  great 
was  his  distress  of  mind,  and  that  he  was 
brought  to  rejoice  in  the  mercy  of  God  before  he 
left  the  house.  Mr.  E.  also  informed  me,  that 
since  that  time^  a  Baptist  church  had  been 
gathered  in  that  place  (West  Tisbury),  and 
that  this  same  Whitcomb  had  been  a  deacon 
of  it,  during  the  period  of  thirty  years.  Mr. 
W.  died  a  few  years  since. 


CHAPTER  Xn. 

Return  to  Etlgartown— Baptism— Last  Meeting— Opposition 
—Singular  effect  of  the  Truth— Appointments  at  Falmouth 
and  Marshpee— Rev.  James  Davis— Graceless  Members  of 
Mr.  Lincoln's  Church— A  Military  Company  ask  Prayers— 
Conversions— The  Physician's  Opposition  overruled— De- 
parture for  Bridgewater. 

From  Tisbury  I  returned  to  Edgartown 
again,  and  preached  a  number  of  times  at  Dr. 
Whelden's  bouse,  and  also  in  the  Court  House. 
Several  obtained  hope,  but  as  I  was  not  an 
ordained  minister,  we  sent  for  Eev.  Abisba 
Sampson,  who  was  then  preaching  at  Holmes' 
Hole,  to  come  to  E.  and  administer  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism. 

While  he  was  baptizing,  there  were  several 
engaged  at  the  same  time  in  dipping  dogs. 
Such  was  the  derision  cast  upon  one  of  the 
most  plain  and  significant  institutions  of  the  New 
Testament — an  institution  upon  which  it  seems 
to  me  no  well  informed   person,  or  a  careful 


82  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

reader  of  the  Gospels  and  tlie  Epistles  of  tlie 
Apostles,  would  be  willing  to  stake  his  reputa- 
tion, that  it  was  not  primarily  administered  by 
immersion. 

The  last  night  I  preached  in  E.  there  was 
another  mob  that  came  to  the  house  in  order  to 
break  up  the  meeting.  The  mob  arrived  just 
as  I  was  about  to  name  my  text.  I  addressed 
myself  particularly  to  them.  I  told  them  I  had 
a  very  interesting  text,  and  I  wished  them  to 
hear  me.  The  text  was  this  :  Luke  xxiii.  34. 
"Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what 
they  do."  Those  who  came  to  the  meeting  for 
purposes  of  mischief,  never  advanced  another 
step  towards  me  after  I  named  my  text.  I 
think  there  were  more  tears  shed  at  that  time 
than  at  any  meeting  where  I  ever  attempted  to 
preach.  It  was  evident  that  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  accompanied  the  word  spoken,  and  many 
were  convicted  in  their  own  consciences ;  and 
some,  I  trust,  who  came  to  the  meeting  to  cre- 
ate disturbance,  with  light,  trifling,  and  per- 
verse minds,  returned  to  pray,  and  confess  their 
sins  to  God. 


HEV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  83 

After  meeting,  I  went  about  six  miles  to 
spend  the  niglit,  that  I  might  be  in  readiness  to 
take  the  ferry  boat  on  the  following  morning  to 
Falmouth,  where  I  had  engaged  to  preach  that 
night.  I  had  also  a  still  further  appointment 
to  preach  to  the  Indians  of  the  Marshpee  tribe. 
These  engagements  I  was  enabled  to  fulfil. 

Rev.  Mr.  Lincoln,  who  was  pastor  of  the 
Congregational  church  in  Falmouth  at  this 
time,  was  an  unconverted  man,  which  he  after- 
wards acknowledo-ed.  Rev.  James  Davis 
preached  a  number  of  times  in  this  town  after- 
wards, and  finally  in  Mr.  Lincoln's  meeting 
house.  He  held  a  protracted  meeting  for  sev- 
eral days.  During  the  progress  of  the  meet- 
ings, they  sent  for  Rev.  Mr.  Bates,  a  Baptist 
minister,  who  was  preaching  at  Hyannis  ;  he 
came  and  assisted  Mr.  Davis  in  the  meetings. 
It  was  during  the  labors  of  Mr.  D.  in  Falmouth, 
that  some  of  the  members  of  Mr.  L's.  church 
said  to  Mr.  Lincoln,  "  Why  did  you  not  tell 
us  when  you  took  us  into  your  chvirch,  that  we 
must  be  born  aofain  ?" 


84  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

There  was  another  interesting  fact  connected 
with  these  meetings.  There  was  a  military 
training  or  muster  in  the  place,  and  one  of  the 
companies,  if  not  more,  was  so  much  concerned 
for  their  souls,  that  the  members  of  it  proposed 
to  march  into  the  meeting  house,  and  ask  Chris- 
tians to  pray  for  them,  which  they  actually  did 
do. 

Mr.  Lincoln  professed  to  experience  a  change 
of  heart  soon  after  this,  and  also  many  others. 
Some  became  Baptists,  and  joined  the  Baptist 
church  in  Hyannis,  others  became  Methodists, 
but  the  laro-est  number  connected  themselves 
with  the  Congregational  church  in  the  place. 

Another  incident  occurred  at  these  meetings 
of  which' I  was  informed,  and  in  which  we  can 
see  strikingly  illustrated  the  saying  that,  "  man 
purposes,  but  God  disposes,"  it  was  this  : — The 
princi]3al  physician  in  the  town,  coming  home 
from  visiting  some  of  his  patients,  found  that 
his  wife  and  daughter  had  gone  to  an  evening 
meeting  ;  and  being  very  much  opposed  to  the 
meetings,   he  declared  he  would  go  and  take 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  85 

them  home.  He  entered  the  meeting  house, 
and  had  got  only  a  short  distance  up  the  broad 
aisle,  when  to  his  surprise,  his  wife  and  daugh- 
ter, with  others,  had  just  stepped  out  of  the 
pews  into  the  broad  aisle,  where  inquirers  were 
requested  to  come,  who  desired  to  be  conversed 
with  and  prayed  for.  It  had  such  an  effect 
upon  the  doctor's  mind,  that  instead  of  taking 
his  wife  and  dauo-hter  home  with  him,  as  he  at 
first  intended,  he  fell  upon  his  knees,  and  de- 
sired the  people  of  God  to  pray  for  him.  Thus 
frequently,  is  ^^  the  loftiness  of  man  humbled, 
and  the  Lord  alone  exalted." 

An  allusion  has  been  made  to  Rev.  James 
Davis,  with  whom  I  attended  many  meetings, 
and  whose  labors  God  most  signally  blessed, 
both  upon  the  Cape  and  Vineyard.  I  propose 
to  give  a  more  particular  account  of  this  de- 
parted servant  of  God  in  a  future  chapter.  His 
name  has  been  associated  with  many  precious 
revivals  of  religion,  and  the  conversion  of  many 
souls  to  Christ. 

Had  it   not  been   for  a  number   of  appoint- 


86  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

ments  to  preach  in  different  places  on  my  way 
home  to  Bridgewater,  I  should  most  probably 
have  gone  back  to  Edgartown  immediately,  for 
the  friends  in  that  place,  sent  a  man  a  day  or 
two  after  I  left,  requesting  me  to  return ;  in- 
forming me  also,  that  several  of  the  company 
who  assembled  around  the  house  the  last  eve- 
ning I  preached  there  with  threatening  pur- 
poses, had  their  attention  very  much  called  up 
to  the  subject  of  religion  on  that  occasion. 

Thus  I  trust  the  ffood  seed  of  the  kingdom 
was  sown,  and  under  the  guidance  and  blessing 
of  the  Spirit  of  all  grace,  it  produced  promis- 
ing results.  The  means  employed  were  both 
simple  and  direct ;  and  wherever  in  the  provi- 
dence of  God  I  was  permitted  to  preach  the 
gospel  in  this  my  first  itinerant  tour,  the  bless- 
i  ig  of  the  Head  of  the  church  appeared  in  a 
greater  or  less  deo:ree  to  follow  it.  "  To  Him 
therefore,  be  all  the  praise,  dominion,  and  glo- 
ry, forever.     Amen." 


CHAPTEE  XIII. 

Teaching  school  and  preaching— Plymouth — Marshfield — Bel" 
lingham — Mr.  Aaron  Perkins — His  experience,  and  subse- 
quent events  in  his  history — State  of  religion  in  Belling- 
ham — Return  to  Marshfield— Review  of  the  year. 

As  I  received  nothing  for  my  labors,  onl}^ 
what  any  one  saw  fit  to  give  me,  I  found  it 
necessary  for  my  support,  to  teach  school  win- 
ters. At  this  time  there  were  no  Mission  So- 
cieties, either  foreign  or  domestic  ;  no  Home 
organization  of  any  sort,  to  assist  feeble  inter- 
ests or  churches,  or  to  sustain  laborers  in  the 
field.  There  were  instances,  however,  in  which 
individuals  manifested  the  most  cordial  sympa- 
thy in  my  efforts  and  labors,  and  were  disposed 
to  aid  in  regard  to  my  pecuniary  interests. 

1  commenced  teaching  school  this  year  in  the 
town  of  Duxbury,  in  Dec,  1810.  During  the 
continuance  of  my  school,  I  supplied  the  feeble 
interest  in  Plvmouth.     The   church   had    been 


SB  AtJTOlBiOGRAPH  r    Of 

organized,  but  at  that  time  tliey  had  no  settled 
pastor.  I  walked  from  Duxbury  to  Plymouth^ 
every  Saturday  afternoon,  and  usually  preach- 
ed in  some  private  house  on  Saturday  evening, 
and  on  the  Sabbath  in  a  cellar  kitchen,  or  base^ 
ment  room  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Bartlett,  on 
Summer  street.  The  latter  part  of  the  time  I 
preached  in  a  hall  on  Middle  street,  known  by 
the  name  of  Burbank's  Hall.  Sabbath  after- 
noon, after  the  usual  service,  I  walked  back  as 
far  as  Rocky  Nook,  and  generally  preached  in 
some  private  house  in  the  evening.  Owing  to 
the  feebleness  of  the  Baptist  cause  in  P.,  my 
compensation  for  the  time  which  I  supplied 
them,  was  quite  inconsiderable. 

Before  I  closed  my  school  in  Duxbury,  a  com- 
mittee from  the  Baptist  church  in  Marshfield, 
came  for  me  to  supply  them,  which  I  engaged 
to  do  at  the  expiration  of  my  school  term.  The 
first  Sabbath  I  preached  in  Marshfield,  I  told 
the  brethren  during  the  intermission  at  noon, 
that  I  did  not  feel  it  my  duty  to  appoint  any 
more   meetings   in   that  place.      Many  things 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  89 

were  forbidding,  and,  doubtless,  I  judged  from 
the  sight  of  my  eyes  instead  of  walking  by 
fiiith.  "  God  seeth  not  as  man  seeth."  The 
meeting  house  was  in  an  unfinished  state,  es- 
pecially inside,  and  the  people  sat  round  upon 
rough  boards.  I  had  come  to  the  conclusion  in 
my  mind,  and  supposed  that  in  the  afternoon,  I 
was  preaching  my  last  time  in  that  place,  for 
the  present  to  say  the  least,  but  after  meeting  I 
found  one  person  in  great  distress  of  mind ;  the 
wife  of  Dea.  Aaron  Sherman ;  this  circumstance 
gave  a  new  direction,  both  to  my  own  feelings 
and  to  outward  events,  so  that  before  I  left  the 
house,  I  appointed  a  meeting  for  the  next  Sab- 
bath, and  also  made  arrangements  to  preach  in 
several  places  through  the  week.  Instead, 
therefore,  of  preaching  here  only  one  Sabbath 
as  I  at  first  felt  and  supposed,  I  continued  my 
labors  through  the  next  six  months  following  ; 
and  during  that  time  several  obtained  hope  in 
the  mercy  of  God. 
7. 


90  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

BELLINGHAM. 

About  this  time,  I  was  earnestly  requested 
to  2:0  to  Bellino^liam  ;  and  in  view  of  the  fact 
that  the  work  of  God  appeared  to  subside  in  a 
measure  in  Marshfield,  I  concluded  it  was  the 
opening  of  providence  for  me  to  labor  in  anoth- 
er part  of  my  Master's  vineyard.  I  therefore 
went  to  B.  I  had  preached  there  only  a  few 
times,  when  several  letters  were  sent  tome  from 
the  friends  in  Marshfield,  and  one  from  Eev. 
John  Butler,  of  Hanover,  urging  me  to  come 
back  to  M.  again ;  the  reason  assigned  was 
that  two  young  men  had  their  attention  called 
up  to  the  subject  of  religion  by  the  last  sermon 
I  preached  there,  and  that  one  of  them  had  al- 
ready obtained  a  hope  in  the  gospel.  This  was 
young  Aaron  Perkins,  now  Dr.  Perkins  of 
Texas. 

Young  Perkins  was  a  machinist,  and  withal 
skilful  in  his  trade.  His  business  eno^ao^ements 
frequently  led  him  to  Marshfield  to  repair  and 
set  up  machinery.  His  native  place  was  Bridge- 
water.      He    was   specially   fond  of  parties  of 


KEV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  91 

pleasure,  balls  and  dances.  In  his  visits  to  M., 
he  had  instructed  the  young  people  in  several 
new  figures  in  dancing,  with  the  expectation 
that  at  some  future  time  he  would  have  a  fur- 
ther opportunity  of  practicing  them  with  the 
young  people  of  the  place.  The  revival,  how- 
ever, occurring,  made  its  inroads  into  the  ranks 
of  the  youth,  and  turned  their  attention  from 
vain,  worldly,  and  sinful  amusements,  to  serious 
thoughts  about  their  souls,  God,  and  eternity. 
Some  of  those  with  whom  young  Perkins  was 
acquainted,  and  with  whom  he  had  joined  in 
the  merry  dance,  had  become  the  hopeful  sub- 
jects of  a  gracious  change.  He  was  then  in 
Bridgewater  when  the  intelligence  of  the  revi- 
val reached  him.  His  schemes  of  pleasure  in 
his  anticipated  visit  to  M.  were  all  frustrated. 
On  his  arrival  at  M.  he  immediately  commenced 
with  an  effort  to  divert  the  minds  of  the  people 
from  the  subject  of  religion,  but  in  every  in- 
stance he  failed  to  stop  the  progress  of  the 
work,  and  for  a  time  absented  himself  from  all 
religious   meetino^s.     It   was   the   last   sermon 


92  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

wliicli  I  preached  in  M.  before  going  to  Belling- 
ham  which  became  the  means  of  his  awaken- 
ino;  and  conversion.  Since  I  was  about  to 
leave  the  place,  and  the  last  service  was  an 
evening  service,  he  concluded  he  would  attend. 
My  text  on  that  occasion  was,  1  Cor.  vi.  20, 
"  Ye  are  bought  with  a  price."  It  was  a  word 
fitly  spoken,  because  it  was  accompanied  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  resulted  in  his  consecration 
to  the  cause  of  Christ  and  to  the  Christian  min- 
istry. He  was  a  chosen  vessel  of  divine  grace. 
Bro.  A.  Perkins  sent  me  a  letter  in  1853, 
stating  that  he  wished  to  spend  a  few  days 
with  me  in  Marshfield.  He  furthermore  de- 
sired me  to  make  several  appointments  of  re- 
ligious meetings  in  that  town,  which  I  did.  The 
first  meeting  we  held  was  in  the  evening  at  the 
house  of  Bro.  Isaac  Thomas,  where  Bro.  Per- 
kins first  obtained  a  hope.  He  spoke  from 
these  words,  "  Let  us  go  up  to  Bethel."  He 
said  every  Christian  had  some  particular  place 
which  he  called  his  Bethel.  He  said  this  was 
his.     Here  he  found  the  Saviour,  here  he  com- 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  93 

mcnced  the  life  of  faith,  here  he  entered  upon 
the  high  way  of  holiness,  here  he  surrendered 
his  soul  into  the  hands  of  Christ  and  chose 
another  Master,  even  Jesus  ;  here  he  received 
the  Spirit  by  which  he  had  been  cheered  and 
encouraged  in.  his  labors  since,  and  by  which 
he  had  been  enabled  to  do  any  good  in  the 
cause  of  God.  This  was  peculiarly  his  Bethel. 
We  spent  the  Sabbath  near  the  place  where  he 
was  first  struck  under  conviction.  As  we  were 
going  to  meeting,  he  inquired  of  me,  "  if  I  had 
kept  an  account  of  the  number  I  had  baptized," 
I  told  him  I  had  not.  I  then  asked  him,  "  if 
he  had  an  account  of  the  number  he  had  bap- 
tized." He  said  he  had.  I  inquired  as  to  the 
number,  and  he  replied,  "  about  thirteen  hun- 
dred." 

In  a  few  months  after  his  conversion,  he  was 
licensed  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  entered  im- 
mediately upon  the  work  of  the  ministry. 

The  communications  Avhich  I  received  from 
Marshfield,  before  noticed,  urging  me  to  leave 
Bellingham,  and  return  to  M.  again,  created    a 


94  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

severe  trial  in  my  mind  as  to  my  duty  in  the 
case.  I  had  an  eno-ao-ement  of  six  or  eio-ht 
Sabbaths  longer  in  B.  ;  and  besides  there  were 
several  whose  attention  were  already  called  up 
to  the  interests  of  their  souls,  and  before  I  left 
found  hope  in  the  mercy  of  God.  And  still 
farther  there  had  been  and  still  was  a  great 
destitution  in  the  things  of  religion  in  B.  These 
considerations  induced  me  to  remain  in  B.  for 
the  present,  at  least,  until  the  expiration  of  my 
engagement  to  supply  for  them.  At  this  time, 
which  was  in  the  Fall  of  1811,  neither  the 
Lord's  Supper,  nor  baptism  had  been  adminis- 
tered in  that  place  during  the  period  of  twelve 
years  by  any  denomination.  There  had  been 
both  a  Baptist  and  Congregational  church  in 
that  town,  but  both  of  them  had  run  down. 
When  I  first  visited  them,  there  was  neither  a 
Baptist  nor  Congregational  church,  and  but 
very  few  professors.  Both  societies,  however, 
had  united  and  built  a  meeting  house.  There 
were  two  or  three  Baptist  male  professors, 
but    they    were    unwilling    to     go    into    the 


REV.  THOMAS  CON  ANT.  95 

new  meeting  house,  because  they  had  a 
bass-viol  there.  Some  even  wondered  how 
I  could  preach  where  there  was  a  bass- 
vioL  I  remarked  to  them,  if  -there  were  forty- 
bass-viols,  and  forty  devils,  and  there  was  an 
opportunity  of  doing  good  and  benefiting  im- 
mortal souls  by  preaching  in  a  meeting  house,  I 
was  willinor  to  2:0. 

A  few  days  before  I  left  the  place,  I  publicly 
requested  on  the  Sabbath  at  the  close  of  the 
service,  that  those  who  had  recently  obtained 
hope,  and  all  others  who  desired  to  unite  and 
constitute  a  Baptist  church,  should  there  be 
one  formed  in  the  place,  were  requested  to  meet 
the  next  day  in  that  house  and  make  what  ar- 
rangements we  could  for  that  purpose.  Several 
met,  and  we  had  quite  an  interesting  meeting, 
for  there  had  been  no  meeting  together  of 
Christians  separate  from  the  world  for  a  number 
of  years. 

On  my  way  from  Marshfield  to  Bellingham, 
I  had  previously  called  on  Elder  Eathburn,  at 
West  Bridgewater.     As  I   was    now  about  to 


96  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

leave  that  place,  I  called  on  him  and  informed 
liim  of  the  state  of  things  in  B.  He  soon  after 
this  moved  his  family  to  Bellingham^  labored 
and  lived  there,  until  he  died. 

The  principal  reason  which  induced  me  to 
return  to  Marshfield  where  I  could  receive  but 
a  small  pecuniary  Compensation  in  comparison 
with  what  I  might  have  expected  in  B.,  was,  I 
considered  the  field  of  usefulness  to  be  much 
greater  in  this  region.  Evangelical  religion 
was  well  nigh  extinct.  Spiritual  death  reigned 
almost  unbroken  throughout  all  the  professed 
churches  of  Christ.  It  was  only  at  distant  and 
remote  points  that  the  true  light  shone  at  all. 
Arminianism  and  Unitarianism  had  nearly  sup- 
planted and  crowded  out  the  faith  of  the  gos- 
pel. Neither  ministers  or  churches  of  any  de- 
nomination in  Marshfield,  Duxbury,  Pembroke, 
Hanson,  Scituate,  Cohasset,  and  Hingham,  ex- 
cept the  small  Baptist  church  in  Marshfield, 
and  a  few  Methodists  held  prayer  meetings,  or 
believed  in  revivals  of  religion. 

This  was  the  state  of  religion  all  through  the 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  97 

above  section  of  Plymouth  County,  when  I 
commenced  my  labors  in  Marshfield,  and  after 
my  return  from  Bellingham.  Among  the 
causes  "Vfhich  resulted  in  such  a  harvest  of  for- 
malism and  impiety  in  the  churches,  such  an 
apostacy  and  departure  from  the  Puritan  faith, 
I  will  speak  more  particularly  hereafter. 

During  the  year  1811,  I  preached  two  hun- 
dred and  eleven  times,  besides  attending  a  num- 
ber of  prayer  and  conference  meetings.  A 
note  refers  to  this  time.  "July  27th,  1811,  there 
were  two  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  and  into  the  liberty  of  the  gospel  last 
night,  which  make  twenty  during  my  labors 
thus  far  in  Marshfield.  I  find  there  is  consid- 
erable excitement  among  the  ungodly,  and 
many  of  them  even  threaten  to  shoot  me  and 
my  horse,  and  tar  and  feather  me."  Such  is  the 
depravity  of  the  human  heart,  and  its  opposi- 
tion to  the  truth.  It  always  has  been  so,  and 
probably  always  will.  Moral  goodness  in  such 
an  exhibition  of  hostility  against  the  gosj)el  and 
the  doctrine  of  regeneration  !    Impossible.     In- 


98  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

dividuals  may  be  considered  respectable  in 
many  things,  but  tliey  sliow  the  enmity  of  their 
hearts,  when  they  oppose  the  gospel  or  its  in- 
fluence amono:  their  fellow-men.  And  besides 
this,  I  have  learned  it  is  no  cause  of  discour- 
agement for  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  when  op- 
position is  raised  against  the  truth ;  it  is  rather 
proof  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  is  running  and 
being  glorified.  One  of  the  grand  offices  of  the 
Spirit  is  to  convince  the  world  of  sin,  and  thus 
many,  when  taught  by  it,  develop,  most  strik- 
ingly, the  enmity  of  their  hearts.  This  is  the 
"  plague  of  the  heart." 

Several  passages  of  the  word  of  Grod  upon 
which  I  discoursed  during  the  year  1811, 
in  several  places,  and  from  which  I  heard, 
were  specially  blessed  to  individuals,  and  the 
means,  in  the  hands  of  God,  of  their  conver- 
sion. If  anything  is  worthy  of  record,  and 
which  will  be  highly  prized  by  the  friends  of 
the  Eedeemer,  it  is  the  word  of  God,  which, 
when  accompanied  by  the  Divine  influence, 
awakens,  convicts  and  converts  the  soul.     It  is 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  99 

begotten  again  to  that  new  and  spiritual  life  in 
Christ  Jesus,  only  by  the  truth,  or  the  word  of 
God.  The  Apostle  speaks  in  the  following 
mariner  :  "  Seeing  ye  have  purified  your  souls 
in  obeying  the  truth."  And  again,  "  Being 
born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  in- 
corruptible, by  the  word  of  God,  which  liveth 
and  abideth  forever."  A  few  of  the  passages 
of  Scripture  are  the  following  :  Acts  xxiv.  25  ; 
"  And  as  he  reasoned  of  righteousness,  tempe- 
rance, and  judgment  to  come,  Felix  trembled  ; 
and  answered,  go  thy  way  for  this  time  ;  when 
I  have  a  more  convenient  season  I  will  call  for 
thee."  Amos  iv.  12  ;  "  Prepare  to  meet  thy 
God,  O  Israel."  Isaiah  Iv.  6  ;  "  Seek  ye  the 
Lord  while  he  may  be  found,  call  ye  upon  him 
while  he  is  near."  1  Cor.  vi.  20 ;  "  For  ye 
are  bought  with  a  price."  Eph.  v.  16  ;  "Ee- 
deeming  the  time,  because  the  days  are  few." 
Rev.  vi.  17  ;  "  For  the  great  day  of  his  wrath 
is  come,  and  who  shall  be  able  to  stand?  "  2 
Kings  vi.  17  ;  "  And  EHsha  prayed,  and  said, 
Lord,  I  pray  thee  open  his  eyes  that  he  may 


100 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 


see.  And  the  Lord  opened  tlie  eyes  of  tlie 
young  man ;  and  he  saw,  and  behold  the  moun- 
tain was  full  of  horses,  and  chariots  of  fire 
round  about  Elisha."  Isa.  Ivii.  14  ;  "  And 
shall  say,  cast  ye  up,  cast  ye  up,  prepare  the 
way  ;  take  up  the  stumbling-blocks  out  of  the 
way  of  my  people."  Luke  xxi.  8  ;  "  And  he 
said,  take  he^d  that  ye  be  not  deceived." 
Prov.  X.  24  ;  "  The  fear  of  the  wicked  it  shall 
come  upon  him  ;  but  the  desire  of  the  righ- 
teous shall  be  granted." 


CHAPTER  Xiy. 

Teaching  in  Scituate — Preaching  in  the  neighboring  towns— 
Marshtield  and  Pembroke — An  Incident  at  a  Funeral — Con- 
versation with  Mr.  A,  at  his  house — Church  organized  in 
Pembi'oke — My  Ordination — New  Bedford — School  Inci- 
dent in  Duxbury— The  War  of  1812— Removal  to  Westboro' 
— Baptist  Church  constituted — 4th  of  July  Sermon. 

In  the  winter  of  1811-12,  I  taught  school  in 
the  South  district,  in  what  is  now  called  South 
Scituate.  I  preached  every  Sabbath  in 
Marshfield,  and  two  evenings  in  the  week, 
when  the  travelling  would  permit.  I  also 
went  once  a  week  six  miles,  most  of  the  time 
on  foot,  to  Mr.  Mica  Foster's,  in  Pembroke, 
who  afterwards  became  deacon  of  the  Baptist 
church  in  Hanson. 

While  teachinoj  this  school  in  South  Scitu- 
ate,  a  man  died  in  that  district,  who  belonged 
to  the  Cono-reo-ational  church  in  P.  His 
friends  went  for  his  minister  to  attend  the 
funeral.     He  said,  he  wished  for|them  to  "  se- 


102  AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF 

cure  tlie  services  of  some  other  minister,  as  he 
was  not  very  welL"  Accordingly,  they  request- 
ed me  to  officiate  on  the  occasion.  When  I 
arrived  at  the  house,  I  found  the  minister  pres- 
ent who  was  first  sent  for.  After  sitting 
awhile,  as  it  was  not  time  to  commence  the  ex- 
ercises, I  took  the  opportunity  to  mention  to 
him,  that  there  was  an  interesting  revival  of 
religion  in  Mr.  Niles'  society,  in  Abington.  I 
finally  asked  him,  if  he  did  not  hope  that  there 
might  be  such  a  work  among  his  people  ?  He 
replied,  "  he  did  not  wish  to  converse  on  disput- 
ed points  at  a  funeral."  I  told  him,  I  did  not 
consider  it  a  disputable  point  at  all,  for  I  sup- 
posed that  all  Christians  were  agreed  in  respect 
to  the  importance  of  heart  religion.  "  Heart 
religion  or  head  religion,"  said  he  ;  "  ah  I  I  do 
not  wish  to  converse  upon  this  subject  now, 
but  should  be  pleased  to  have  me  call  upon  him 
and  have  further  conversation  upon  the  sub- 
ject." 

A  few  months  after   this,   I   preached   one 
evening  about  a  mile  from  his  house,  and  in  the 


REV.  THOMAS    CONANT.  103 

morning  I  called  upon  Rev.  Mr.  A.  He  asked 
me  to  take  a  seat,  wliich  I  did.  In  a  few  mo- 
ments he  told  me,  "  I  ought  to  be  horse-whip- 
ped." I  asked  him  for  what  ?  He  said  "  for 
abusing  him  at  the  funeral  of  Mr.  Leavitt."  I 
inquired  of  him  in  what  respect  I  had  abused 
him  ?  He  said,  in  asking  him,  "  if  I  did  not 
hope  there  might  be  such  a  work  among  my 
people  as  there  was  in  Abington,  when  you 
knew  I  was  opposed  to  it."  I  told  him  I  did 
not,  although  I  knew  that  most  of  his  senti- 
ments were.  He  furthermore  said,  "  I  ought 
to  be  horse-whipped  for  coming  into  town, 
holding  evening  meetings  among  his  people, 
and  causing  so  much  disturbance."  He  said, 
he  "  looked  upon  me  as  bad  as  though  I  had 
come  and  stolen  away  his  wife,  and  that  he  had 
no  opinion  of  such  ministers  as  I  was ;  and  be- 
sides, I  was  too  lazy  to  work." 

As  it  was  near  twelve  o'clock,  and  I  had  ad- 
vanced toward  the  door  to  take  my  leave  of 
him,  he  said,  "  he  would  ask  me  to  remain,  and 
take  dinner  with  him,  if  he  •  thought  I  should 


104  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

behave  myself  as  I  ouglit."  I  told  him  I  was 
afraid  I  should  not,  and  so  I  bade  him  good- 
by.  Thus  ended  my  interview  with  Eev.  Mr. 
A.,  and  I  was  more  convinced  than  ever  that 
he  was  evidently  opposed  to  the  work  of  God 
in  the  j^ouring  out  of  his  Spirit ;  and  still  fur- 
ther, giving  me  painful  proof  that  that  great 
work,  without  which  neither  ministers  nor  the 
members  of  their  churches  can  be  saved,  had 
no  apparent  sympathy  in  his  heart. 

PEMBPwOKE. 

A  Baptist  church  was  organized  in  the  town 
of  Pembroke,  at  Mr.  Luther  Rowland's  house, 
on  the  12th  of  May,  1812  ;  and  at  the  same 
time  and  place  where  the  church  was  constitut- 
ed, I  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
as  an  evano-elist. 

The  ordination  services  were  as  follows :  -  - 
Bro.  Samuel  Glover  preached  the  sermon  from 
1  Cor.  XV.  11 ;  Bro.  Joel  Briggs,  delivered  the 
charge ;  Bro.  John  Butler  offered  the  ordain- 
ing  prayer ;    Bro.    Lewis    Leonard  gave  the 


REV.  THOMAS    CONANT.  105 

hand  of  fellowship  ;  Bro.  Joseph  Torrey  made 
the  concluding  prayer. 

All  these  brethren  have  finished  their  earthly 
labors.  They  witnessed  a  good  profession,  and 
died  in  the  faith  of  the  gospel.  Indeed,  only 
here  and  there  remain  one  and  another,  scatter- 
ed far  and  wide  along  the  broken  line  of  life, 
who  were  cotemporaries  with  me  in  the  earlier 
part  of  my  ministry,  and  fellow  helpers  unto 
the  kingdom  of  God. 

I  was  united  in  marriage  on  the  26th  of 
March,  preceding  my  ordination,  to  Miss  Annie 
Leonard,  of  Bridgewater,  and  sister  of  the  late 
Lewis  Leonard,  D.  D.,  of  Cazenovia,  N.  Y. 

MARSHFIELD. 

The  Sabbath  following  my  ordination,  I  went 
to  Marshfield,  and  baptized  four  persons.  I 
had  engaged  to  preach  in  M.  three-fourths  of 
the  time  ;  the  other  fourth  I  preached  at  Mr. 
Rowland's  house,  and  in  a  store  near  by,  for 
several  months.  Still  retaining  my  connection 
with  the  church  in  M.,I  went  one-fourth  of  the 
8 


106  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

time,  after  this,  for  a  season,  to  New  Bedford, 
before  there  was  any  Baptist  church  or  society 
in  the  place.  I  preached  one-fourth  of  the 
time  in  a  hall  occupied  the  other  part  of  the 
time  by  the  Congregationalists ;  and  since  they 
controlled  it,  they  were  unwilling  that  the  sub- 
ject of  baptism  should  be  presented,  which  I 
usually  did  before  the  administration  of  the 
rite,  and  on  this  account  we  left  it,  and  repair- 
ed to  a  private  house.  This  was  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1812.  A  Baptist  church  was  constitut- 
ed here  during  the  following  year,  1813. 

I  had  made  some  arra  ngement,  and  conclud- 
ed it  was  about  settled,  that  I  should  teach  a 
winter  school  in  1812-13,  in  the  lower  part  of 
Duxbury,  but  when  the  district  came  together, 
a  variety  of  opinions  were  expressed  in  regard 
to  my  keeping  the  school,  chiefly  on  the 
ground  of  my  religious  principles.  Some  said, 
"  they  would  rather  have  the  small-pox  come 
into  the  place  than  to  have  Conant  come  among 
them ;  "  others  said,  "  they  had  rather  have 
their  children  go  to  school  to  learn  to  &wear^ 
than   come  to  school  to  mo  to  learn  io  pray.'' 


REV.  THOMAS   CONANT.  107 

My  connection  with  the  Baptist  church  in 
Marshfield,  extended  over  a  period  of  more 
than  sixteen  years,  three-fourths  of  the  time, 
with  the  exception  of  two  years,  or  nearly  so, 
during  the  war  with  Great  Britain,  from  Nov., 
1814,  to  April,  1816.  With  the  other  fourth 
of  the  time,  as  previously  intimated,  I  supplied 
other  places  as  the  providence  of  God  seemed 
to  indicate.  In  consequence  of  the  war,  and 
the  landing  of  British  troops  in  Marshfield,  and 
their  burning  several  vessels  in  Scituate  har- 
bor, which  was  only  a  few  miles  from  the  house 
where  I  lived,  and  besides,  from  constant 
alarms  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  the  in- 
habitants moving  away  from  the  shore,  I  con- 
cluded it  was  best  for  me  to  remove  from  M., 
likewise. 

WESTBORO'. 

There  were  a  few  Baptist  professors  in  West- 
boro',  where  I  had  preached  occasionally,  as  I 
,  passed  through  the  town  in  going  and  return- 
ing from  my  brother's  in  P.;  they  learned  that 


108  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

I  was  about  leaving  M.,  and  sent  one  of  their 
number  to  see  me  and  engage  my  services  half 
of  the  time  in  Westboro',  and  the  other  half  in 
Shrewsbury,  which  I  agreed  to  do.  I  continu- 
ed there  one  year  and  a  half,  until  peace  was 
restored,  and  then  I  returned  again  to  Marsh- 
field.  While  I  was  in  Westboro',  I  baptized 
thirteen,  who  united  with  the  Baptist  church 
in  that  place  ;  one  of  them  was  a  young  man 
about  entering  college,  who  is  now  the  Hon. 
Isaac  Davis,  of  Worcester. 

The  Baptist  church  was  constituted  soon 
after  I  commenced  preaching  half  of  the  time 
statedly  in  the  place.  While  I  was  there,  op- 
position to  the  Baptists  was  very  strong.  A 
young  man  was  fined  because  he  refused  to 
train  in  a  military  company.  Lawyer  Har- 
rington, in  arguing  the  case  against  him  in 
Westboro',  said,  "  he  was  a  lawless,  good-for- 
nothing  fellow  ;  you  do  just  as  you  are  a  mind 
to,  just  like  a  Baptist  minister."  They  sup- 
posed I  had  done  wrong  in  breaking  over  par- 
ish lines. 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  109 

Peace  beino-  restored  with  Great  Britain, 
the  two  political  parties  in  town,  thought  it  ad- 
visable to  meet  together  on  the  4th  of  July  — 
have  an  oration  on  the  occasion,  and  all  dine 
together.  It  was  proposed  at  first  to  invite  the 
Cono:reo:ational  minister  to  deliver  the  oration  ; 
but  they  said,  he  had  taken  such  strong 
grounds  in  politics,  the  opposing  party  would 
not  have  him.  They  finally  concluded  to  in- 
vite the  Baptist  minister,  and  therefore  the 
committee  came  to  see  me  about  it.  I  howev- 
er, utterly  refused,  as  I  never  had  delivered  an 
oration,  so  called.  Besides,  at  such  times,  they 
were  in  the  habit  of  drinking  toasts,  firing  can- 
non, shouting,  &c.,  all  of  which,  was  not  in  ac- 
cordance with  my  taste  or  my  views.  The 
committee  entreated  me  earnestly  for  some 
time  ;•  finally,  I  told  them  I  would  preach  on 
the  occasion,  and  dine  with  them  if  they  would 
have  no  drinking  toasts,  firing  cannon,  &c. 
My  proposal  was  accepted.  I  therefore 
preached  to  them  on  the  occasion,  from  this 
text,  Joshua    xxiii.   10,  11  ;    "  For  the  Lord 


110  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

your  God,  he  it  is  that  fighteth  for  you.  Take 
good  heed,  therefore,  unto  yourselves,  that  ye 
love  the  Lord  your  God."  I  noticed  first,  that 
God  had  evidently  fought  our  battles  for  us,  as 
he  did  for  Israel  of  old.  1.  In  the  French  and 
Indian  war  ;  2.  In  the  Revolutionary  war  ;  8. 
And  now  in  our  i.rzsent  war  with  England, 
II.  The  obligations  we  were  under  to  love  the 
Lord  our  God.  Soon  after  this,  several  joined 
the  Baptist  society,  and  among  the  number 
was  Col.  Fisher,  who  was  Representative  of 
the  town,  and  by  whose  influence  they  were 
led  to  commence  building  a  Baptist  meeting- 
house. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Labors  resumed  in  Marshfield,  on  the  return  of  Peace  —  Mis- 
sionary labors  in  Boston  —  Great  revival  in  Marshfield  — 
Thrilling  incidents  attending  the  work  —  Sabbath  school 
organized  ■ —  Preaching  in  Hingham  and  South  Abington  — 
Opposition  —  Progress  of  the  Baptist  sentiments  in  North 
Marshfield. 


RETURN   TO   MARSHFIELD, 

After  the  return  of  Peace,  I  resumed  my  la- 
bors again  with  the  Baptist  church  in  Marsh- 
field, in  1816,  and  continued  to  supply  them  as 
heretofore,  three-fourths  of  the  time,  and  the 
remaining  part  I  went  either  to  Seituate,  or 
Plymouth,  or  Duxbury,  or  Hingham,  or  South 
Abington.  In  the  year  1817, 1  went  one  quar- 
ter of  my  Sabbaths  and  preached  in  the  dwell- 
ing house  of  Deacon  Abial  Cud  worth,  in  Seit- 
uate, where  I  now  live.  In  1819,  I  engaged  a 
few  months  as  missionary  in  the  city  of  Boston. 
Instead  of  taking  one-fourth  of  my  time  each 
month,  I  concluded  it  would  be  best  to  spend 


112  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

tlie  three  winter  months  In  Boston,  as  city  mis- 
sionary. I  accordingly  entered  upon  my  du- 
ties. I  had,  however,  heen  engaged  in  this 
w  ork  only  a  few  weeks,  before  several  letters 
came  to  me  at  one  time  from  different  persons 
and  from  different  parts  of  the  town  in  Marsh- 
field  —  each  writer  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  the 
other  had  written,  requesting  me  to  return  to 
Marshfield,  immediately,  because  a  very  pow- 
erful revival  of  religion  hatl  commenced,  and  at 
a  time  too,  when  there  was  not  a  minister  of 
any  denomination  in  town ;  those  who  belong- 
ed to  the  town  were  away  at  that  time.  And 
besides,  there  were  but  few  professors,  compar- 
atively, in  the  whole  town,  who  believed  in  ex- 
perimental religion.  The  Baptist  church  was 
small.  There  were  a  few  Methodist  members 
that  occasionally  had  preaching  in  their  dwell- 
ings-houses, and  a  few  members  in  the  Armini- 
an  church,  that  believed  in  a  change  of  heart. 
This  was  the  state  of  things  when  the  revival 
broke  out.  As  the  interest  increased,  those 
who  ha  d  known  anything  about  the  new  birth, 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  113 

appeared  to  gather   where  the  attention  was, 
and  to  take  part  in  the  meetings. 

The  evening  I  arrived  home  from  Boston  to 
Marshfield,  as  I  felt  that  duty  required  me  to 
give  up  my  present  labors  in  B.,  it  w^as  judged 
there  were  four  hundred  people  in  and  around 
my  house.  Every  part  of  the  house  was  filled 
to  its  utmost  extent.  I  preached  to  the  crowd, 
who  were  eager  to  hear  the  word  of  God,  from 
Rev.  V.  11,  12,  13 ;  "  And  I  beheld,  and  I 
heard  the  voice  of  many  angels  round  about  the 
throne,  and  the  beasts  and  the  elders  ;  and  the 
number  of  them  was  ten  thousand  times  ten 
thousand,  and  thousands  of  thousands  ;  saying 
with  a  loud  voice.  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was 
slain,  to  receive  power  and  riches,  and  wisdom, 
and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  bless- 
ing. And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven 
and  on  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such  as 
are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard 
I  saying,  Blessing,  and  honor,  and  glory  and 
power,  be  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the 
throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  forever  and  ever." 


114  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

The  interest  was  very  great.  One  young 
man  swooned  away,  and  appeared  to  lay  nearly 
lifeless  all  that  evening.  And  at  other  meet- 
ings, some  men  would  come  into  the  room,  and 
while  I  was  preaching  would  fall  directly  upon 
their  knees,  and  remain  in  that  position  until  I 
had  finished  my  discourse.  Some  when  alone , 
would  be  peculiarly  exercised  in  their  minds. 
One  man  when  in  a  boat  alone,  lost  the  use  of 
his  limbs,  and  swooned  away,  and  went  whith- 
ersoever the  winds  and  tide  carried  him,  till  he 
was  picked  up  in  a  creek  near  where  Daniel 
Webster  formerly  lived.  A  pious  physician 
examined  the  man,  and  considered  the  state  he 
was  in  at  the  time  he  swooned  away,  as  a  kind 
of  trance. 

Some  were  powerfully  wrought  upon  in  the 
midst  of  their  vain  amusements.  Even  the  first 
that  were  converted  and  who  lived  near  the 
Baptist  church,  had  carried  their  clothes  with 
them  on  Sabbath  evening,  to  their  boarding 
house,  connected  with  the  factory  in  which  they 
worked,  at  the  lower  part  of  the  town,  intend  - 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  115 

ing  to  go  to  a  ball  on  Thursday  evening  follow- 
ing. But  while  they  were  at  work  in  the  fac- 
tory, some  one  in  their  hearing  said,  "  it  was 
believed  that  Eleanor  Sprague  was  under  con- 
cern of  mind,"  which  was  the  means  in  the 
hands  of  God,  of  awakening  these  vain  and 
thoughtless  youth  to  the  great  interests  of 
their  souls.  Nearly  three  miles  from  the  fac- 
tory, a  prayer  meeting  was  held  on  Tuesday 
evening  of  each  week,  by  several  females ; 
they  heard  of  this  meeting,  and  at  the  close  of 
the  day's  labor,  they  went  to  it,  and  desired  an 
interest  in  the  prayers  of  Christians.  In  a  few 
days  they  obtained  hope  in  the  mercy  of  God. 
The  good  work  spread  so  fast,  that  at  the  expi- 
ration of  three  weeks,  it  was  judged  by  those 
who  had  observed  its  progress,  that  more  than 
seventy  persons  had  become  hopefully  convert- 
ed to  God.  Another  instance  was  equally 
striking  as  the  preceding  one :  A  young  man, 
Reuben  Williamson,  was  arrested  and  power- 
fully wrought  upon  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  he 
was  alone,  on  his  way  with  his  jug  to  get  in- 


116  AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF 

toxicating  liquor,  in  order  to  celebrate  his 
birth-day,  being  twenty-one  years  old  that 
evening.  He  returned  home  without  going 
any  farther,  or  obtaining  his  liquor,  and  in  a 
few  days  after,  he  was  rejoicing  in  the  God  of 
his  salvation.  As  the  results  of  this  work,  fif- 
ty-two joined  the  Baptist  church  in  Marsh- 
field  ;  some  united  with  the  Baptist  church  in 
Pembroke  ;  others  connected  themselves  with 
the  Congregational  church  in  M.,  and  a  few 
became  Methodists.  A  more  particular  ac- 
count of  this  revital,  which  was  published  at 
that  time,  may  be  found  in  the  Boston  Eecord- 
er,  for  1819. 

It  was  during  this  year,  that  a  Sabbath 
school  was  commenced  in  Marshfield,  which 
was,  I  think,  the  first  one  established  in  Ply- 
mouth county.  We  had  no  question  books,  as 
none  were  in  existence  except  the  Primer,  and, 
therefore,  the  scholars  committed  to  memory 
portions  of  the  Scriptures  and  Watts'  Hymns. 
One  of  the  scholars  committed  to  memory  the 
four    Evangelists   during    the   season.     What 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  117 

she  did  through  the  spirit  of  ambition,  in  order 
to  outdo  others,  she  found  after  her  conversion, 
of  special  advantage  to  her.  She  is  now  the 
wife  of  one  of  the  deacons  of  the  church. 

HINGHAM. 

I  preached  in  the  house  of  Miss  Polly 
Barnes,  in  Hingham,  in  the  year  1821. '  I  was 
then  hooted  at  by  men  who  called  themselves 
gentlemen,  as  I  rode  through  the  streets. 
Here,  also,  as  in  other  places,  the  sect  every- 
where spoken  against,  had  its  share  of  obloquy 
cast  upon  it.  It  is  a  truth,  however,  which 
has  required  ages  to  learn,  and  indeed,  not  fully 
learned  yet,  that  persecution  will  never  put 
down  a  good  cause,  nor  injure  a  bad  one.  In 
April,  1824,  I  commenced  my  labors  again  in 
Hingham.  At  this  time  I  preached  once 
in  eight  weeks  in  a  loft,  over  where  there  was 
a  slaughter-house.  Dea.  Asa  Wilbur,  of  Bos- 
ton, generously  contributed  to  the  support  of  the 
gospel,  during  this  period  of  my  labors.  After 
a  few  months,  we  obtained  a  more   convenient 


118  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

place  in  a  hall  in  the  central  part  of  the  town. 
A  few  months  only  had  transpired,  when  the 
congregation  increased  so  much  that  it  was  ex- 
pedient to  have  the  services  of  some  one  on  the 
ground  all  the  time.  Accordingly,  they  pro- 
cured the  services  of  Bro.  Samuel  Glover. 

Two  Orthodox  Congregational  ministers,  by 
the  names  of  Gray  and  Pierce  had  labored  in 
the  place  several  months  each,  but  I  believe,  I 
was  the  first  Baptist  minister  who  commenced 
preaching  at  the  usual  hours  of  public  worship, 
on  the  Sabbath,  in  Hingham. 

In  1825,  the  friends  in  Hingham  requested 
me  to  go  to  Lynn,  and  converse  with  the  Mis- 
sionary Board  that  was  to  meet  at  that  place, 
and  lay  the  situation  of  the  Baptist  cause 
in  H.  before  the  Board,  and  also  to  visit 
Haverhill  and  Boston  in  their  behalf.  Dr. 
Baldwin  took  a  lively  interest  in  their  welfare. 
He  had  been  down  to  Hingham,  and  preached 
several  times  on  week  days,  and  had  baptized 
two  persons  ;  he  considered  the  young  interest 
in  H.  a  very  important  field  of  labor,   and  one 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  119 

that  should  be  sustained.  He  requested  me  to 
preach  his  Friday  evening  lecture  in  his  meet- 
ing-house, on  my  return  home,  which  I  did. 
He,  however,  went  from  the  meeting  of  the 
Board  to  Waterville,  to  attend  the  Commence- 
ment, and  died  there  a  few  days  after.  Thus 
we  meet  and  part  with  the  good  of  earth,  but 
there  will  be  a  gathering  of  the  saints  hereaf- 
ter, where  separations  can  never  come  ! 

SOUTH    ABINGTON. 

In  the  year  1822,  Deacon  Eainsford  having 
removed  from  Boston  to  South  Abington, 
learned  that  I  had  preached  a  number  of  times 
in  private  houses  in  A.,  and  that  some  had 
obtained  hope  in  the  pardoning  mercy  of  God, 
but  never  had  united  with  any  church,  because 
they  were  Baptists  in  sentiment ;  and  besides, 
there  was  no  church  of  that  order  in  town. 
Deacon  E.,  in  company  with  Mr.  R.  Cook,  who 
had  recently  obtained  hope,  came  to  my  house 
in  Marshfield,  and  desired  me  to  go  to  Abing- 
ton, and  baptize  him  and  several  others 


120 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 


I  had  frequently  been  asked,  and  often  sent 
to  from  A.  to  come  to  that  place  and  set  up  a 
Baptist  meeting.  But  I  thought  as  there  was 
Orthodox  preaching  in  the  place,  Rev.  Mr. 
Thomas,  I  might  do  more  good  for  the  present 
in  preaching  in  those  places  where  there  was 
no  other  preaching  but  Unitarianism.  But 
now,  when  there  were  those  who  could  not 
conscientiously  be  anything  else  but  Baptists, 
I  felt  it  my  duty  to  comply  with  the  request  of 
the  brethren  who  came  to  visit  me.  Before 
they  left,  I  authorised  them  to  appoint  a  meet- 
ino^,  which  was  held  at  the  dwellino;  house  of 
lawyer  Benj.  Hobarts.  At  this  meeting,  an- 
other w^s  appointed  on  the  coming  Sabbath  at 
the  house  of  Dea.  Rainsford,  at  the  usual  hour 
of  public  worship.  At  this  time,  I  baptized 
Jonathan  R.  Grurney,  and  Robert  Cook,  both 
of  whom  became  deacons ;  one  of  their  wives 
was  also  baptized  at  this  time,  the  other  soon 
after.  All  became  members  of  the  Baptist 
Church  which  was  constituted  shortly  after. 
These  were  the  first  individuals  who  were  ever 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  121 

immersed,  so  far  as  I  can  learn,  in  the  town  of 
Abington.     This  circumstance,  as  it  would  be 
natural  to  suppose,  created  its  measure  of  oppo- 
sition in  this  place,  as  the  observance  of  the 
rite   of  baptism  for  the  first  time  certainly,  and 
even   afterwards,  has   frequently  excited   low 
ridicule  and    ungracious    reflections    in  other 
places.     I  never  expected  the  ungodly  world  to 
be  pleased  with  the  humbling  requirements  of 
the  gospel,  but  when  the  second  command  of 
the  ascended  Redeemer  —  the  ordinance  of  the 
church  is  administered,  and  it  awakens  religious 
hostility  on  the  part  of  the  professed  ministers 
and   disciples  of  Christ  —  this,  it  seems  to  me, 
almost,  if  not  quite,  puts  credulity  to  shame. 

My  son,  then  a  lad  of  nine  years  of  age, 
could  not  go  half  a  mile  to  a  store  on  an  er- 
rand, without  being  harassed  by  the  enemies 
of  the  Baptists,  to  such  a  degree,  that  one  man 
by  the  name  of  Elihu  Hobart,  as  respectable 
as  any  in  the  place,  considered  it  so  unsafe  for 
my  son  to  go  home  alone,  that  he  came  with 
him  to  protect  him.  When  I  went  out  of  town 
D 


122  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

to  spend  a  nighty  they  would  come  round  my 
house  and  howl,  to  frighten  my  wife  and  chil-- 
dren.  One  night,  every  long  hair  was  sheared 
oiF  my  horse's  mane  and  tail ;  the  beast  was 
cut  so  as  to  bleed. 

One  of  the  ministers  to  whom  I  applied  for  a 
school,  refused  to  examine  me,  solely  on  the 
ground  of  my  principles  as  a  Baptist ;  but  I 
went  to  the  other  minister  in  town  and  he  ex- 
amined and  gave  me  a  certificate.  And  at  the 
time  when  I  taught  in  A.,  the  effort  to  break 
up  the  school,  had  its  origin  in  the  same  spirit 
of  dislike  to  the  peculiar  views  of  the  Baptists .^ 
It  is  hoped,  however,  that  time  has  softened 
the  asperity  of  those  who  could  not  once  en- 
dure the  term  immersion,  if  maturer  reflections 
and  larger  acquaintance  with  historical  and 
Scriptural  facts,  have  not  led  them  to  tacitly 
tolerate  what  cannot  be  successfully  refuted. 

During  the  two  years  I  preached  in  Abing- 
ton,  half  of  the  time,  there  was  a  church  gath- 
ered of  twenty-five  members,  a  small  meeting 
house   was   built  and   paid   ibr,  and  a  society 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  128 

formed  of  more  than  forty  heads  of  families. 
One  of  those  who  sheared  my  horse,  finally 
became  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church,  and 
acknowledged  chat  he  did  the  deed*  Such  are 
the  changes  which  religion  makes ;  it  turns 
our  foes,  and  the  foes  of  the  cause  of  God,  into 
its  friends.  The  prevalence  of  Baptist  princi- 
ples in  A.  has  been  most  obvious  from  that 
day  of  trial  and  of  small  things,  to  its  present 
attitude  and  strength.  The  church  is  one  of 
the  ablest  and  most  influential  in  the  Old  Col- 
ony Association,  and,  indeed,  in  this  section  of 
the  State.  Repeated  revival  seasons  have  shed 
their  fertility  and  fragrance  upon  this  Zion  of 
the  Lord. 

When  I  first  preached  in  Marshfield,  1811, 
there  was  but  one  head  of  a  family  in  all  the 
north  part  of  the  town,  who  attended  a  Baptist 
meeting  on  the  Sabbath.  Almost  the  whole  of 
that  half  of  the  town,  did  not  believe  in  a 
change  of  heart,  though  they  were  not  called 
Unitarians  but  Arminians.  They  almost  uni- 
versally took  that  side  of  the  question,  however, 


124  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

when  the  subject  was  introduced.  A  few  of 
the  first  years,  it  was  difficult  to  get  doors 
opened  for  an  evening  meeting.  After  a  while? 
individuals  became  more  disposed,  and  opened 
their  doors  for  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  and 
converts  were  added  to  the  Lord,  Amono;  those 
in  the  north  part  of  the  town,  who  became  the 
hopeful  subjects  of  renewing  grace  were  the 
following :  The  present  wife  of  the  late  Col.  Col- 
lamore,  of  West  Scituate,  and  her  sisters,  one 
of  whom  was  the  first  wife  of  Eev.  Joseph  Tor- 
rey,  and  the  other,  the  wife  of  Dea.  William 
Eames  ;  the  wife  of  a  Unitarian  deacon,  and 
her  daughter,  who  married  Dea.  Calvin  Stock- 
bridge,  of  North  Yamiouth,  Me.,  were  brought 
to  the  love  and  acknowledg-ment  of  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Jesus  ;  Dr.  Charles  Macomber  and 
his  wife  were  baptized,  and  united  with  the 
Baptist  church,  after  they  had  been  mem- 
bers of  the  Cono;reo;ational  church  fifteen 
years.  Dr.  Macomber  graduated  at  Cam- 
bridge college,  and  was  one  of  the  Councillors 
of  the  Medical  Society  in  Boston,  wlicn  he 
died. 


REV.  THOMAS  COXANT.  125 

In  order  to  accommodate  those  in  the  north 
part  of  the  town  who  had  become  Baptists,  it 
was  thought  advisable  to  build  another  meet- 
ing-house, Instead  of  removing  the  South  meet- 
ing-house from  its  present  locality.  For  sev- 
eral years  after  the  north  meeting-house  was 
built,  there  was  but  one  church,  though  two 
societies.  Before  I  left  Marshfield,  in  1828,  I 
preached  alternately  in  each  meeting-house  ; 
afterwards  a. church  was  formed  at  the  north. 
In  this  vicinity,  also,  during  a  period  of  fifteen 
years,  I  saw  the  gradual  and  permanent  pro- 
gress of  Baptist  principles, — at  first  opposed, 
but  afterwards  listened  to,  and  then  embraced. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Invitation  to  visit  New  Bedford  —  Letter  of  Mr.  Barstow  — 
Items  of  labor,  with  incidents  —  City  Missionary  in  Boston. 

About  twelve  years  from  the  time  when  I 
first  went  to  New  Bedford  as  a  supply,  I  re- 
ceived an  urgent  invitation  to  visit  the  place, 
and  take  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  church.  I 
received  several  letters  upon  the  subject.  One 
of  them  is  as  follows: — 

''New  Bedford,  March  29,  1824. 
Respected  Brother  : — 

Since  I  last  saw  you,  Bro.  Chase  has  in- 
formed us  he  shall  preach  his  last  sermon  on 
next  Lord's  Day,  which  was  something  I  ex- 
pected ;  the  reason  he  gives,  he  thinks  his  use- 
fulness is  done  here,  and  so  we  think.  He  is  a 
very  feeble  man  —  does  not  preach  but  two 
sermons  in  a  week,  and  sometimes  not  so 
many.      Had   I   known  what  I  now  do  four 


HEV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  127 

weeks  ago,  I  should  have  been  extremely  glad 
to  have  written  you.     Our  church   talk  about 

another  minister,  and  the  voice  is  Bro.  . 

I  now  write  this  in  haste,  fearing  you  may  be 
engaged ;  but,  should  you   not  be,  on  the  re- 
ceipt of  this,  we  wish  for  you  not  to  be  until 
we  can  receive  a  line  from  you,  which  we  hope 
you  will  send  by  the  return  of  the  mail ;  and 
should  you  not  be  when  you  receive  this,  and 
we    get   an   answer  that   you   are    not,    Bro. 
Coggswell  and  myself  contemplate  going  to  see 
you.     We  hope  you  are  not.     Should  it  please 
the    Lord   that   there    should  be   an  opening 
for   you,    here,    we  hope  the  results   will   be 
a    blessing  to  you  and  the  church    of  Christ 
in    this    place.      Please    to    write   an  answer 
of  your  situation  immediately,   if  you  think  it 
expedient.     My  respects  to  your  wife  togeth- 
er  with  Mrs.  Barstow's.      Ever  praying  the 
Lord  would  be  with  you  wherever  you  may  be 
placed. 

From  your  unworthy  brother, 

Thomas  Bahstow." 


128  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

When  I  received  the  foreojoinoc  commuuica- 
tion,  I  thought  considerably  about  complying 
with  their  request.  But  being  sensible  of  my 
limited  education,  I  thought  I  was  better 
adapted  to  the  country  than  for  such  a  place  as 
New  Bedford.  But  notwithstanding.  Deacon 
Barstow  and  Bro.  John  Coggswell  came  to 
Marshfield,  and  said  they  were  not  going  away 
unless  I  would  engage  to  go  to  New  Bedford, 
and  that  I  had  preached  long  enough  in  the 
pine  woods  ;  neither  their  arguments  nor  the 
circumstances  of  the  invitation,  however,  caused 
me  to  beheve  that  it  was  my  -duty  to  leave  my 
present  field  of  labor. 

During  the  first  twenty  years  of  my  ministry 
I  think  I  preached  fcmr  times  on  the  Sabbath, 
as  often  as  I  missed  preaching  three,  times,  so 
that  the  average  would  be  about  three  times  on 
the  Sabbath,  besides  several  times  during  the 
week,  whenever  the  weather  and  travelling 
would  permit.  I  also  kept  school  three  months 
or  more  every  winter,  during  the  first  sixteen 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  129 

years  of  my  ministry,  and  seven  winters  before 
I  began  to  preach.  I  kept  a  large  school 
in  the  day  time,  in  Marshfield,  crossed  the  river 
either  in  a  boat,  or  upon  the  ice,  (for  there  was 
no  bridge  where  Little's  bridge  is  now,)  went 
&ye  miles  to  Scituate,  preached,  and  returned 
most  of  the  time,  the  same  evening.  I  taught 
school  one  Saturday  forenoon,  went  eleven 
miles  in  the  afternoon,  on  a  wintry  day,  to  the 
lower  part  of  Duxbury,  preached  in  the  even- 
ing, returned  Sabbath  morning,  preached  three 
times  during  the  day,  administered  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism  at  noon,  when  we  had  to  cut 
the  ice  six  inches  in  thickness  for  the  purpose. 
I  baptized  forty  individuals  in  Duxbury,  who 
united  with  the  Baptist  churches  in  Marshfield, 
Kingston,  and  Hanson.  I  baptized  ten  at  one 
time,  in  the  lower  part  of  Duxbury.  Among 
others  whom  I  baptized,  was  the  widow  of  Col. 
Partridge  and  her  sister.  They  had  been 
members  of  the  Unitarian  Congregational 
church  twenty-two  years;  before  either  of  them 
ever  experienced  a  change  of  heart.     I   also 


130  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

baptized  others  after  they  had  been  members 
of  the  same  church  in  D.  several  years. 

As  I  was  going  one  time  to  preach  and  bap- 
tize in  Duxbury,  a  young  woman,  who  lived  at 
the  house  of  the  Unitarian  minister,  desired  to 
witness  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  The  minis- 
ter told  the  girl,  "  he  wished  she  would  request 
Mr.  C.  to  call  on  him  as  he  returned  home." 
She  replied,  "you  do  not  like  Mr.  C."  "Yes, 
I  do,"  said  he  ;  "  but  I  do  not  like  his  stealing 
my  sheep."  "  Do  you  mean,"  she  inquired, 
^' in  a  tempoj'al  or  spiritual  sense?"  He  re- 
plied, "  in  a  sjnritual  sense."  He  invited  me 
to  call  several  times,  which  I  did.  I  met  him 
one  day  in  the  road,  and  he  inquired,  "  what 
news  ?  "  I  told  him  of  some  who  were  con- 
cerned for  their  souls  in  Marshfield,  and  how 
they  talked,  &c.  He  said,  "those  were  mere- 
ly hysterical  feelings,  and  that  he  had  those 
feelin2:s  sometimes  himself."  He  saw  how  as- 
tonished  I  appeared  at  his  reply.  After  a 
short  pause,  he  said,  "I  suppose  you  think  I  do 
not  know  anything  about  religion,  because  I 


REV.  THOMAS  COXANT.  lot 

call  those  hysterical  feelings  ? "  I  replied, 
"  that  it  appeared  so  to  me."  He  added,  "  I 
am  glad  you  are  not  to  be  my  final  judge." 
Thus  ended  our  conversation  for  the  present. 
God's  word  and  the  judgment  will  settle  the 
truth  of.  religion. 

In  the  fall  of  1828,  I  entered  upon  the  duties 
of  a  City  Missionary,  in  Boston,  for  the  second 
time,  and  continued  in  this  service  until  the 
close  of  1829.  The  Eeport  of  my  labors  was 
published  in  the  Boston  Recorder  of  that  year. 
A  few  incidents  selected  from  my  Eeport  will  il- 
lustrate some  scenes  familiar  to  a  city  mission- 
ary. 

In  visiting  among  Roman  Catholics,  I  found 
most  of  them  very  ignorant  indeed.  One  of 
them  told  me  he  believed  that  one  prayer  made 
to  the  Virgin  Mary,  availed  as  much  as  two 
made  to  Jesus  Christ. 

I  established  a  school  in  order  to  teach  the 
Catholic  young  men  to  read  and  write.  About 
twenty  attended.     They  made  some  prolicien- 


132  AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF 

cy,  and  womH  have  done  well  bat  the  priest 
preached  against  it,  and  finally  destroy- 
ed the  school.  One  evening,  a  considerable 
number  of  new  faces  made  their  appearance 
and  took  their  places  among  the  scholars,  pre- 
tending they  had  come  to  read  and  write. 
After  my  school  had  commenced  about  half  an 
hour,  all  at  once  every  light  was  put  out,  and 
stones  were  thrown  in  every  direction,  and  es- 
pecially at  me.  One  hit  me  in  my  side,  but  as 
I  was  pretty  well  clothed,  it  being  cold  weath- 
er, it  did  not  hurt  me  a  great  deal.  I  rushed 
down  stairs  as  soon  as  possible,  in  order  to 
avoid  both  the  stones,  and  to  secure  the  servi- 
ces of  a  police.  It  being  dark,  and  the  officer 
not  at  hand,  the  disturbers  of  my  school  easily 
made  their  escape.  I  suppose  one  reason,  and 
perhaps  the  principal  one  which  awakened  the 
indignation  of  the  priest  against  my  school  was, 
I  had  given  a  copy  of  the  New  Testament  to 
every  scholar  who  was  able  to  read. 

Several    instances    of    hopeful     conversion, 
among  those  whom  I  visited,  came  under  my 


REV.  THOMAS    CONANT.  133 

observation.  One  who  died  in  Hanover  street, 
a  man  about  thirty  years  of  age,  was  in  very 
great  distress  of  mind  for  a  number  of  weeks. 
About  ten  days  before  he  died,  he  told  me  he 
had  given  himself  up  to  God,  and  no  w  he  felt 
willing  to  go  when  it  was  God's  will.  Two 
days  before  his  death,  he  appeared  very  happy 
in  his  mind,  and  sang  most  of  the  hymn — 

•'  Don't  you  see  my  Jesus  coming?"  &c. 

Another  was  a  young  man  about  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  who  died  in  Warren  street. 
When  I  first  visited  him,  he  said  he  had  no 
evidence  that  he  was  prepared  to  die.  He  ap- 
peared to  have  an  inquiring  mind,  and  three 
weeks  before  he  died,  he  obtained  a  hope  in  the 
pardoning  mercy  of  God.  He  had  his  sense  s 
as  long  as  he  lived.  His  last  hours  were  spent 
principally  in  prayer,  and  I  trust,  as  the  return- 
ing prodigal  was  welcomed  to  his  father's 
house,  this  young  man,  penitent  and  believing, 
was  pardoned  and  saved.  ^ 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Pastorate  in  Plymouth  —  Missionary  in  Plymouth  coUuty  ^^'^ 
Brewster  —  Death  of  my  son  —  Revival  of  religion  and  in- 
cidents connected  with  the  work. 

PLYMOUTH* 

In  December,  1829,  I  received  an  invitation 
to  assume  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Baptist 
church  in  Plymouth.  Having  accepted  it,  I 
immediately  entered  upon  its  duties*  I  had 
been  acquainted  somewhat  with  the  history  of* 
the  church  since  its  organization,  and  had  sup- 
plied them  from  time  to  time,  at  different  and 
distant  intervals,  therefore  it  was  not  wholly  to 
me  a  new  field  of  labor.  I  found  the  church 
in  P.  in  a  very  low  and  discouraged  state. 
They  were  in  debt  in  several  particulars,  and 
thus  their  energies  were  in  a  measure  crippled. 
During  nearly  five  years  I  preached  there,  the 
church  greatly  increased  in  wealth  and  influ- 
ence,   and  nearly  doubled  in   numbers.      T]j!s 


IIEV.  THOMAS    CONANT. 


135 


season  of  refreshing  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord,  was  one  of  the  most  extensive  ever  en- 
joyed in  P.  It  was  shared  in  by  all  the  evan- 
gelical churches  in  the  place.  It  was  a  time 
of  the  Spirit's  power,  and  many  were  the  sub- 
jects of  its  new  creating  influence.  The  enemy 
was  coming  in  like  a  flood,  but  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  lifted  up  an  effectual  standard  against 
him.  Forty- one  were  added  to  the  Baptist 
church  in  one  year ;  twenty-five  of  these  were 
heads  of  families.  In  a  few  years,  as  the  result 
of  this  work,  the  church  increased  from  sixty- 
three  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  members. 
Thus  was  this  branch  of  our  Zion  greatly  en- 
couraged, and  new  life  was  infused  into  all  their 
interests,  both  temporal  and  spiritual.  All  their 
debts  were  paid  off,  and  they  could  say  they 
owed  "  no  man  anything."  A  licentiate  from 
this  church  was  ordained  at  Edgartown,  in  June, 
1841,  and  preached  nearly  seven  years  in  the 
Baptist  meeting-house  not  more  than  thirty 
rods  from  the  hall  where  I  was  hauled  out  of 
while  preaching  the  first  Baptist  sermon  ever 
preached  in  the  place. 


136  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

The  church  in  P.  has  been  from  time  to  time 
favored  with  the  dews  of  heavenly  grace,  and 
converts  have  been  added  to  its  members.  In 
the  place  first  selected  by  the  Pilgrims  as  their 
new  home  on  these  Western  shores,  may  the 
gospel  in  its  tolerant  spirit,  and  in  the  sim- 
plicity of  its  ordinances,  ever  find  increasing 
friends  and  cordial  supporters  ! 

After  having  closed  my  labors  in  P.,  I  was 
employed  as  a  missionary  in  the  Old  Colony 
Association,  about  six  months,  during  which 
time,  in  addition  to  supplying  destitute  places 
on  the  Sabbath,  and  holdiuQ^  other  relio-ious 
meetings  on  week  days  and  evenings,  I  assist- 
ed, Kev.  H.  C.  Coombs  in  collecting  nearly  all 
the  subscriptions  for  building  a  Baptist  meet- 
ing-house in  the  town  of  Norton. 

BREWSTER. 

Keceiving  an  urgent  request  from  the  Bap- 
tist church  in  Brewster  to  become  their  pastor, 
I  left  my  missionary  labors,  and  removed  my 
family  to  that  place  in  June,    1835.     This  also 


REV.  THOMAS    CONANT.  137 

was  a  section  of  tlic  State  which  I  had  hereto- 
fore visited,  and  in  which  I  had  preached  the 
gospel ;  and  besides,  during  my  ministry  thus 
far,  I  had  been  quite  familiar  with  the  general 
interests  of  the  Baptist  cause  on  the  Cape.  In 
entering  upon  this  field  of  labor,  and  assuming 
the  pastorate  of  the  church,  I  was  forcibly  re- 
minded of  the  events  of  bygone  years,  when  in 
my  first  itinerant  tour  in  this  vicinity,  there 
were  but  few  Baptist  professors,  and  only  two 
Baptist  churches  on  the  Cape,  below  Ply- 
mouth, viz:  Harwich  and  Hyannis.  I  had 
been  in  Brewster  about  nine  months,  when  a 
new  sorrow  visited  our  family,  such  as  we 
never  experienced  before,  though  one  we  had 
anticipated  for  some  time  ;  this  was  the  death 
of  our  only  son,  Thomas  Baldwin  C.  He  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty-three.  His  disease  was 
consumption.  The  hopes  of  parents  and 
friends  were  strongly  centred  upon  him.  He 
had  nearly  completed  his  professional  studies 
as  a  physician.  If  one  of  the  most  interesting 
periods  of  human  life,  or  the  prospect  of  future 
10 


138  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

usefulness,  or  the  solicitude  of  those  by  whom 
he  was  loved,  or  amiability  of  disposition,  and 
filial  obedience,  or  persevering  effort  to  arrest 
the  progress  of  the  disease — if  these  considera- 
tions had  availed  ,  if  it  had  been  left  with 
short-sisihted  mortals  to  determine  the  will  of 
heaven,  then,  indeed,  the  life  that  passed  front 
our  midst,  our  company,  and  from  our  hearts,, 
would  have  been  prolonged.  The  event  of  hi& 
death  was  a  very  great  affliction  to  me  and  my 
family.  Yet  amid  the  sorrow  there  was  joy  ; 
in  the  darkness  of  the  dispensation,  there  was 
light ;  in  the  severed  cords  that  once  bound  u& 
to  an  only  son,  new  ties  connected  our  hearts 
with  the  unseen  and  eternal.  He  died  in  the 
triumphs  of  faith.  If  heaven  at  last  shall  make 
amends  for  all,  then,  the  grace  of  the  Eedeem- 
er,  which  prepares  departing  friends  for  his  in- 
effable presence  and  glory  in  the  skies,  will 
amply  sustain  the  sorrowing  and  the  bereaved, 
in  the  trials  and  conflicts  of  life. 

*'  Dear  Father,  if  tliy  lifted  rod, 
•    Resolves  to  scourge  us  here  below ; 
Still  let  us  lean  upon  our  God, 

'i'hine  arm  shall  bear  us  safdy  through." 


EEV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  139 

He  who  works  all  things  after  the  counsel  of 
his  own  will,  and  for  the  good  of  those  who 
love  him,  made  this  seemingly  adverse  event 
the  means  of  lasting  benefit  to  many.  It  was 
overruled  for  good  to  me,  to  my  family,  and  to 
the  people  of  my  charge.  A  very  interesting 
and  extensive  revival  of  religion  soon  com- 
menced. I  baptized  thirty-six  within  four 
months  from  the  time  of  my  son's  death,  who 
were  received  into  the  Baptist  church.  Five 
of  them  were  sea  captains,  and  one  a  first  mate. 
The  interest  extended  into  the  Congregational 
church,  after  several  of  their  congregation  who 
had  attended  the-  Baptist  meeting,  were  con- 
verted. They  finally  fell  in  with  the  work,  and 
both  the  Congregationalists  and  Baptists  held 
Sabbath  evening  meetings,  alternately,  in  each 
other's  houses.  But  these  professed  union 
meetings  did  not  continue  but  a  few  weeks,  as 
most  of  the  Conj^reo-ational  church  were  Uni- 
tarians,  as  it  proved  by  their  securing  the  ser- 
vices of  a  Unitarian  minister  for  their  next 
pastor. 


140  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

Some  of  the  circumstances  connected  with 
this  work  of  God  in  B.,  were  quite  striking,  and 
full  of  interest,  and  therefore,  I  will  state  a  few 
facts  in  regard  to  it. 

One  Captain  Boggs,  was  among  the  first  in 
Brewster,  whose  attention  was  called  up  to  the 
great  concerns  of  his  soul,  by  being  with  my 
son  in  his  last  sickness,  and  seeing  him  so  hap- 
py in  his  mind.  He  told  this  in  his  experience 
at  a  prayer  meeting  at  my  house  about  a  fort- 
night after  my  son's  death.  He  said,  "  if  re- 
ligion made  one  so  happy  on  a  death-bed, 
then  he  thought  it  was  worth  seeking  for,"  and 
he  said,  "he  did  seek  for  it,  until  he  found  it." 
The  Captain  furthermore  said,  "he  did  not 
attend  scarcely  to  any  thing  else  during  the 
fortnight  but  to  the  concerns  of  his  soul." 
Another  young  man  was  struck  under  convic- 
tion at  the  funeral  of  my  son.  We  had  a 
series  of  meetings  soon  after.  The  next  Sab- 
bath the  first  one  indulged  a  hope.  As  soon 
as  I  had  dismissed  the  meeting,  the  young 
man  arose  of  his   own   accord,   and  before  the 


REV.  THOMAS  COXAXT.  141 

whole  cono-reo-ation,  told  wbat  God  had  done 
for  his  soul.  This  circumstance  seemed  to 
deepen  the  conviction  of  those  who  had  been 
under  concern  of  mind  much  longer  time  than 
this  young  man  had  been.  They  asked  Chris- 
tians to  pray  for  them.  Not  more  than  two  or 
three  of  the  whole  conoTCPiation  went  out  of 
the  meeting-house  till  the  close  of  the  after- 
noon exercises ;  and  I  never  went  out  of  the 
pulpit  during  the  intermission.  That  day,  and 
especially  the  intermission,  was  one  of  the  most 
solemn  and  interesting  I  ever  exj^erienced. 
The  dying  scenes  of  my  only  son,  and  the  pun- 
gent convictions  of  several  sea  captains  in  the 
congregation,  besides  many  others,  were  so 
before  my  mind,  that  I  was  scarcely  capable  of 
going  through  with  the  usual  exercise  of  the 
afternoon.  I  think  I  never  saw  so  many  stout- 
hearted men  and  masters  of  vessels,  bowing 
and  weeping  under  the  power  of  God.  But 
notwithstanding  my  body  was  pressed  down  as 
under  a  mighty  load,  yet  such  scenes  are  well 
adapted  to  help  ministers  to  preach  and  Chris- 
tians to  pray. 


142  AUTOBIOGRArilY    OF 

So  general  were  tlie  effects  produced  that 
day,  that  diirmg  the  following  week,  the  stores 
and  work  shops,  became  places  of  prayer  and 
religious  conversation.  Mr.  Bailey,  a  Method- 
ist minister,  who  was  at  one  of  our  meetings  a 
few  weeks  after  this,  stated  publicly,  that  he 
had  travelled  and  preached  in  thirteen  of  the 
States,  and  had  been  in  a  large  number  of  re- 
vivals, but  he  never  knew  so  many  men  over 
thirty  years  of  age  converted  in  any  one  revival 
as  in  this,  considering  the  size  of  the  town. 

As  to  the  propriety  of  holding  protracted 
meetings,  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  generally 
speaking  they  are  of  great  advantage,  espec- 
ially if  the  church  is  in  a  prepared  state  to  en- 
ter into  the  work  of  the  Lord.  Since  they 
have  fallen  into  disuse  somewhat  within  the 
few  past  years,  there  has  obviously  been  less  of 
divine  influences  in  the  churches,  and  the  num- 
ber of  conversions  has  greatly  diminished. 
Without  the  Spirit's  influence,  nothing  will  be 
accomplished.  Indeed  the  wheels  of  salvation 
will  roll   backward   instead  of  forward.     But 


REV.  THOMAS    CONANT.  143 

laboring  in  dependence  upon  the  Spirit's  in- 
fluence, waiting  upon  God  in  earnest,  believing 
prayer,  and  we  have  no  reason  to  doubt  but  that 
protracted  efforts,  now  as  in  times  past,  will  be 
crowned  with  the  blessing  of  the  Head  of  the 
church. 

I  have  attended  during  mj  ministry,  nine- 
teen protracted  meetings,  and  many  were 
hopefully  converted  during  those  meetino-s. 
Some  of  them  have  been  held  only  a  few  days, 
at  other  times,  weeks.  One  of  these  protracted 
meetings  continued  fourteen  days  in  Harwich, 
and  Br.  Barnaby  baptized  sixty-three  within 
two  months  afterwards.  It  seems  to  me  there- 
fore, in  reviewing  the  past,  there  should  be  a 
more  general  return  to  this  sort  of  labor.  Be- 
sides, Baptist  churches  are  liable  to  lose  in  a 
great  measure  their  spirituality  and  become 
conformed  to  the  fashions,  policies  and  spirit  of 
the  world.  If  the  churches  and  ministers  seek 
to  please  the  world  instead  of  converting  it, 
then  will  the  world  make  aggressions  upon  the 
churches,  and  the  line  of  distinction  between 


144  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

the  professed  friends  of  God  and  those  who  are 
not,  will  become  obliterated.  Costly  churches 
— ^paid  choirs  to  sing  the  praises  of  God — ^laxity 
of  discipline  in  separating  the  precious  from 
the  vile,  thus  laying  £fside  the  laws  of  Christ 
in  his  own  house,  for  fear  of  o-ivins^  oiFence  — 
these,  among  other  things,  contribute  to  dimin- 
ish the  spiritual  power  of  the  churches  both 
with  God  and  man. 


CHAPTER  XYIIL 

Observations  upon  the  state  of  Religion  in  the  Congregation- 
al Arminian  churches  at  the  time  and  before  I  commenced 
my  ministry  —  Causes  which  operated  against  the  piety 
of  the  churches. 

I  liave  been  asked  what  were  my  views  as 
to  the  causes  whicli  probably  resulted  in  the 
decline  of  piety  in  the  Congregational  churches 
about  the  beginning  of  the  present  century.  I 
would  therefore  speak  of  the  following  causes 
which  contributed  to  such  a  result :  1.  Low- 
ering down  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the 
gospel — such  as  the  depravity  of  the  human 
heart — the  necessity  of  its  radical  renewal — the 
divinity  and  atonement  of  Christ — the  person 
and  worh  of  the  Holy  Spirit — the  sovereignty 
of  God  in  election — the  final  perseverance  of 
all  true  believers,  &c.  Now  these  doctrines 
were  not  generally  preached  in  many  of  those 
churches  called  Congregational,  though  in   ef- 


146  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

feet  Arminlan,  at  the  time  I  commenced  my 
ministry.  There  were,  however,  other  church- 
es under  the  o;eneral  term  Cono-reo^ational,  in 
which  the  above  doctrines  were  fully  and  plain- 
ly preached.  Amid  the  general  apostacy,  they 
held  fast  to  the  faith  of  the  Pilgrim  fathers. 
At  the  commencement  of  the  present  century 
there  was  scarcely  one  of  the  Congregational 
order  so  called  in  Boston,  but  that  was  more 
or  less  affected  with  Arminian  sentiments. 
With  but  few  exceptions,  both  ministers  and 
churches  were  willing  that  the  distinctive  and 
discriminating  doctrines  of  the  gospel  should 
quietly  pass  into  disuse  and  consequent  disbe- 
lief. These  doctrines  are  not  now  preached  in 
Arminian  or  Unitarian  churches.  They  would 
not  be  endured  a  single  moment.  Piety,  which 
is  the  fruit  of  conversion  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
cannot  live  and  flourish  where  the  doctrines  of 
the  gospel  are  not  preached  and  enforced  upon 
the  hearts  and  consciences  of  the  people.  Nor 
do  we  look  for  conversions  only  where  such 
truths    are   proclaimed;  the    Spirit   is  neither 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  147 

poured  out,  nor  are  revivals  of  religion  enjoyed. 
Instead,  therefore,  of  the  freshness,  beauty  and 
luxuriance  of  a  well  watered  garden,  such 
churches  arc  obviously  the  grave-yard  of 
piety.  My  observation  for  years,  and  from 
what  I  knew  of  the  state  of  religion  in  the 
churches  before  referred  to,  leads  me  to  this 
conclusion. 

It  should  be  remarked,  however,  that  in  the 
secessions  from  those  churches  which  have 
taken  place  in  many  towns  in  this  State  and 
elsewhere,  and  which  resulted  in  the  formation 
of  Confrreojational  Orthodox  churches,  we 
have  a  still  further  proof,  that  those  who  were 
spiritual  and  had  experienced  a  change  of 
heart,  could  not  live  among  the  dead.  Remove 
the  fact  of  man's  utter  sinfulness  in  the  sight 
of  God,  that  he  is  lost  and  perishing,  or  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  not  necessary  to  renew  and 
sanctify  the  heart,  or  that  Christ  is  not  an  al- 
mighty Saviour,  or  that  salvation  is  not  wholly 
by  grace,  and  we  take  away  all  power  and 
efficiency  from  the  gospel — we  disrobe  it  of  its 


148  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

divinity — it  becomes  a  dead  letter — it  is  anoth- 
er gospel,  tliongli  not  another ;  and  as  a  neces- 
sary consequence,  the  spirit  and  life  of  true 
godliness  wane  away,  and  its  fruit  almost 
wholly,  if  not  entirely  disappears.  Prayer  and 
conference  meetings  which  furnish  no  diminu- 
tive part  of  the  aliment  of  regenerate  souls,  or 
instances  of  inquiries  after  the  truth,  are  num- 
bered amono;  the  thino;s  that  were,  and  are  com- 
paratively  obsolete  terms.  It  requires,  there- 
fore, no  special  investigation  to  convince  one  of 
the  fact  that  this  is  the  present  state  of  many  of 
those  churches  which  formerly,  in  years  past, 
maintained  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  as  zeal- 
ously as  they  now  repudiate  them. 

2.  The  introduction  of  unconverted  memhers 
into  the  churches  contributed  in  no  small  degree 
to  the  degeneracy  in  religion.  Unconverted 
members  were  introduced  into  the  churches  in 
several  ways.  1.  By  infant  memhersliip.  If 
infant  baptism  is  a  divine  ordinance,  and  those 
unconscious  babes  become  by  this  rite  the  sub- 
jects of  the  covenanted  blessings  of  God  with 


REV.  THOMAS  COXANT.  149 

his  people,  why  not  consider  them  as  visible 
members  of  the  church  ?  The  inference  is  a 
very  natural  and  reasonable  one,  and  the  con- 
clusion is  quite  satisfactory,  it  seems  to  me,  to 
every  reflecting  mind.  Well,  this  principle  has 
been  acted  upon,  and  infant  church  member- 
ship has  been  maintained  by  some  churches 
and  ministers.  And  it  is  not  too  much  to  say 
that  those  who  practice  the  rite  of  infant 
baptism  and  associate  it  with  the  distinguished 
spiritual  blessings,  find  that  the  subject  of  in- 
fant  church  memhership  is  still  an  open  one, 
and  exceedingly  difficult  to  be  disposed  of. 
They  are  at  sea  upon  it — with  no  fixed  latitude 
or  longitude  to  determine  its  precise  position. 
It,  however  has  been  found  that  neither  infant 
baptism^  nor  infant  church  membership  is  adapt- 
ed to  furnish  the  church  with  converted  mem- 
bers. This  evil  was  seen  by  Edwards,  who 
maintained  that  none  should  be  considered 
members  of  the  church,  though  they  had  been 
baptized  in  infancy,  unless  they  gave  evidence 
of  experimental  piety.     He  endeavored  in    his 


150  ATTTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

day  to  stay  the  progress  of  a  corrupt  and  cor- 
rupting practice  ;  and  lie  well  knew  tliat  un- 
less this  check  were  put  upon  it,  the  time 
would  come  when  the  churches  would  be  filled 
with  unconverted  members.  2.  When  infant 
or  adult  baptism,  or  any  other,  is  regarded  as 
a  means  of  grace  to  the  impenitent,  instead  of 
an  ordinance  of  the  church,  then,  the  door  into 
the  church  is  thrown  wide  open,  "for  all  who 
would  rather  choose  this  condition  of  salvation, 
than  to  give  their  hearts  to  Christ,  and  accept 
of  his  mercy  as  it  is  offered  in  the  gospel. 
Sinners  will  do  anything  rather  than  do  what 
God  requires.  But  neither  haptismnov  church 
memhership  is  a  condition  of  salvation.  It  is  to 
repent  of  sin  and  believe  the  gospel.  It  is  said 
that  Stoddard,  the  predecessor  of  Edwards,  ad- 
vocated the  theory  of  adult  baptism,  as  a 
means  of  grace,  because  he  supposed  it  was  in- 
strumental of  the  awakening  and  conversion  of 
his  own  soul.  It  might  have  been  true  in  his 
case,  but  the  application  of  the  principle  to 
others,  would  be  subversive  of  the  order  of  the 


EEV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  151 

gospel,  and  tlie  result  would  most  unavoidably 
follow  — '  the  introduction  of  unconverted  mem- 
bers into  tlie  churches. 

It  should  be  observed  in  this  connection,  that 
adult  membership  in  Arminian  or  Unitarian 
churches,  is  based  upon  no  acknowledged  fact 
of  experience  of  a  change  of  heart  —  of  trust 
in  Christ  — ■  of  forgiveness  of  sins,  but  simply  a 
desire  on  the  part  of  individuals  to  connect 
themselves  with  the  church.  And,  indeed,  in 
the  estimation  of  one  of  the  most  prominent 
ministers  in  the  Unitarian  ranks,  he  desires 
that  the  Lord's  Supper  shall  be  open  to  all 
who  wish  to  partake  of  it ;  and  he  ignores  the 
invidious  distinction  which  is  made  in  a  con- 
gregation on  the  Sabbath,  when  a  part  of  it 
take  their  places  at  the  table  of  the  Lord,  while 
the  others,  as  good  and  worthy  as  those  who 
remain,  leave  the  house,  merely  because  they 
are  not  members  of  the  church.  The  simple 
fact,  he  believes,  because  one  man  is  voted  into 
a  church,  and  another  is  not,  since  he  has  not 
been  proposed  a  member,   should  constitute  no 


152  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OP 

real  objection,  why  everybody  who  wishes, 
may  not  come  to  the  Sacrament.  Taking  his 
view  of  the  case,  his  conclusions  are  both  rea- 
sonable and  just.  He  does  not  believe  there  is 
any  difference,  nor  should  there  be,  between  a 
member  of  the  church  and  one  who  is  not. 
And  why  should  he  ?  The  church  arid  the 
outside  world  are  one.  Why,  therefore,  the 
necessity  of  any  such  organization  as  a  church? 
None  at  all. 

And  again,  the  natural  tendency  of  infant 
baptism,  all  must  see,  is  to  annihilate  the  plain 
and  obvious  command  of  the  gospel  —  believe 
and  be  baptized.  We  can,  however,  have  no 
reasonable  apprehensions  that  this  obvious  per- 
version of  the  truth  in  this  particular,  can  very 
extensively  prevail.  There  is  a  real  and  not  a 
fanciful  difficulty  in  the  thing  itself.  It  is  felt 
by  those  who  have  more  to  do  with  it  than 
Baptists  themselves.  The  time  was  when  the 
observance  of  this  rite  was  supposed  to  be 
fraught  with  some  special  spiritual  advantage, 
but  such  impressions  are  rapidly  passing  away, 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  153 

like  "  dissolving  views."  It  is  now  with  some 
Pedobaptist  churches,  a  dead  and  lifeless  thing, 
as  it  really  is.  It  may  be  pleaded  for  now  and 
then,  and  be  galvanized  into  a  Httle  temporary 
observance,  but  the  institution  can  never  stand 
in  the  world,  and  exert  the  influence  which  it 
has  hitherto  done.  It  is  falling  by  its  own 
weight,  or  rather  because  there  is  nothing  of 
it.  "  It  must  be  put  into  the  Scriptures,"  says 
one,  "  before  it  can  be  found  there."  Many 
members  of  Pedobaptist  churches  are  well 
aware  that  the  continuance  of  infant  baptism 
really  forestalls  the  teachings  of  the  word  of 
God,  where,  in  the  matter  of  personal  obedi- 
ence, each  individual  is  required  to  give  his 
own  expression  or  profession  of  his  attachment 
to  the  cause  of  Christ.  I  am  therefore,  led  to 
think  from  all  I  have  seen  and  read  upon  the 
subject,  that  infant  baptism  has  been  one  of  the 
avenues  through  which  errors  have  crept  into 
the  churches,  and  has  contributed  in  no  small 
degree  to  the  degeneracy  in  religion  in  times 
past,  the  fruits  of  which  are  seen  at  the  present 
day.  11 


CHAPTEE  XIX. 

Mr.  Davis'  Christian  experience-K)rdination  as  a  Congre- 
gationalist — Change  of  views  on  Baptism — Re-ordination — 
His  varied  labors  and  success — Description  of  his  general 
character — His  last  sickness — State  of  his  mind — Peaceful 
and  triumphant  death 

I  propose  in  this  chapter  to  give  some   ac- 
count of  Rev.  James   Davis,  whose  labors  in 
the  work  of  the  ministr}''  were  eminently  use- 
ful.    He  appeared  to  be  a  prepared  instrument 
in  the  hand  of  God,  of  promoting  the  cause  of 
evangelical  piety.     The  numerous  instances  of 
revivals  which  attended  his  eiforts,  in  connec- 
tion with  a  holy  and  devoted  life,  proved  that 
he  was   specially  fitted  to  win  souls  to  Christ. 
There  was  peculiar  unction  from  on  high,  in  all 
his  services,  calculated  to  impress  every  mind, 
that  he  had  power  with  God,  and  that  his  chief 
aim    and   purpose   were,    to   save    souls   from 
death.      There   was    something  in  him  which 
would  remind  the  thouo-htful  observer,  of  the 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  155 

one  anciently,  who  "  came  in  the  power  and 
spirit  of  Elijah."  He  was  plain,  earnest  and 
faithful  in  his  exhibitions  of  the  truths  of 
Scripture.  He  laid  "judgment  to  the  line  and 
righteousness  to  the  plummet*" 

Having  attended  many  meetings  with  this 
man  of  God,  when  the  Spirit  was  poured  out, 
and  souls  converted,  besides  being  somewhat 
familiar  with  his  manner  of  life  as  a  Christian 
and  minister,  I  thought  it  would  not  be  time 
misspent,  perhaps,  if  after  nearly  two-score 
years  since  his  decease,  that  some  account  of 
his  Christian  experience,  labors  in  the  ministry 
and  the  circumstances  of  his  last  sickness  and 
death,  should  be  read  by  the  present  genera- 
tion. I  am  indebted  to  the  American  Baptist 
Magazine,  of  the  !N"ovember  number,  1821,  for 
many  of  the  following  facts  :— - 

Mr.  Davis  says  of  himself,  "  I  was  born  in 
Hopkinton,  N.  H.,  Nov.  6, 1772.  When  about 
eight  years  old  my  mind  was  seriously  impress- 
ed. I  recollect  that  at  certain  times  I  was 
much  affected  with  preaching*     I  was  afraid  to 


156  AUTOBlOaKAPHY  OF 

sleep  at  night.  I  knew  that  I  was  a  sinner, 
and  that  I  was  liable  to  die  in  sleep,  and  lose 
my  soul.  I  then  concluded  that  when  advanc- 
ed in  life  I  would  read  and  pray  and  become 
reliofious.  After  this  I  became  thousrhtless  and 
unconcerned,  and  continued  to  live  as  though 
I  was  accountable  to  no  one,  until  about  nine- 
teen years  of  age.  The  winter  before  I  obtain- 
ed a  hope,  I  was  more  than  ever  captivated 
with  scenes  of  carnal  diversion.  In  Dunbar- 
ton,  the  adjacent  town,  the  work  of  the  Lord 
began  powerfully  to  prevail.  A  number  of 
young  people  whom  I  knew,  were  solemnly  im- 
pressed and  returned  from  the  meetings  in 
great  distress  of  mind.  I  began  to  think  that 
it  would  be  best  for  me  to  attend  to  the  con- 
cerns of  my  soul,  and  change  my  mode  of  life. 
I  soon  began  to  be  anxious  about  myself,  and 
saw  that  I  was  in  an  evil  case.  My  pride  of 
heart  was  very  great.  I  would  get  out  of 
sight  of  those  who  were  conversing  upon  relig- 
ious things,  and  yet  desired  to  hear  what  was 
said.     I  did  not  wish  that  the  minister  should 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  157 

say  anything  in  particular  to  me  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  religion,  lest  I  should  be  thought  seri- 
ous, and  be  made  a  subject  of  ridicule.  I  join- 
ed a  company  of  rude  young  people  for  fear 
they  would  say  I  had  become  religious.  But 
I  could  not  live  in  that  company  no  more  than 
I  could  in  the  fire.  I  had  an  awful  sense  of 
my  guilt,  danger  and  exposure  to  hell  and  ruin. 
I  felt  that  I  deserved  to  be  damned,  and  that  it 
would  be  perfectly  just  in  God  to  cast  me 
down  to  dwell  where  darkness  and  horror 
reign.  Life  appeared  short ;  it  seemed  as 
though  there  was  but  a  step  between  me  and 
everlasting  woe.  The  world  had  lost  all  its 
charms — a  gloom  was  spread  over  every  out- 
ward thing.  The  idea  was  impressed  upon  my 
mind  that  I  must  pray  or  go  to  hell ;  and  even 
when  I  prayed,  I  felt  more  criminal,  and  that  I 
was  mocking  God.  And  still  it  was  thundered 
in  my  ears,  pray  or  be  damned  forever. 
Night  after  night  I  never  had  my  clothes  off, 
or  went  to  bed.  My  appetite  was  gone — I 
had  no  relish  for  food.     One  Sabbath  day  after 


158 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OP 


the  services,  before  the  meeting-house,  I  cried 
and  wept  aloud.  The  minister  came  and  con- 
versed with  me.  Kneeling  upon  the  ground, 
he  prayed  with  and  for  me.  He  then  observed 
that  I  must  retire  home — that  I  was  in  the 
hands  of  God — that  I  must  repent  or  perish — 
—  believe  or  be  damned.  The  idea  was 
strongly  impressed  upon  my  mind  that  I  should 
be  miserable  forever — that  I  should  soon  be 
in  hell.  I  was  emaciated  to  a  skeleton.  I  pon- 
dered in  my  mind  whether  there  was  not  a 
possibility  that  God  might  save  me  in  some 
way,  and  have  mercy  upon  me. 

"  One  day  I  retired  to  my  room  to  read ;  in 
a  moment,  as  quick  as  thought,  my  burden  and 
distress  were  removed ;  the  book  appeared  to 
be  full  of  God  —  full  of  glory  —  and  this  glory 
seemed  to  be  shining  all  around  me,  in  the 
heavens  and  in  the  earth.  I  was  full  of  the 
spirit  of  praise.  I  had  lost  sight  of  myself.  It 
was  not  a  question  in  my  mind  whether  I 
should  be  saved  or  lost.  After  my  mind  was 
relieved,  my  bodily  health  seemed  to  be  re- 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  159 

cruited  at  once,  and  my  strength  to  be  restored. 
I  felt  greatly  concerned  for  sinners  ;  for  six 
months  I  enjoyed  a  heaven  upon  earth.  I 
joined  the  church  with  forty-one  besides  my- 
self. My  mind  became  greatly  exercised  about 
preaching  the  gospel.  I  was  encouraged  to  go 
forward  and  obtain  an  education,  which  I  did." 
This  ends  all  the  account  Mr.  Davis  has  left 
of  his  early  life. 

Mr.  Davis  was  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
College,  in  1798.  By  whom,  and  where  he 
was  first  approbated  to  preach,  we  know  not. 
In  1804,  he  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  an 
evangelist,  by  the  Congregational  ministers 
formino^  the  Association  of  the  "Western  Dis- 
trict  of  Vermont.  Mr.  Davis  remained  in  con- 
nection with  the  Congregationalists,  till  the 
year  1816,  when  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  be  im- 
mersed, on  a  profession  of  his  faith.  Having 
submitted  to  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  agreea- 
bly to  the  usage  of  apostolic  times,  at  his  re- 
quest, he  was  re-ordained  to  the  work  of  an  evan- 


160  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

gellst,  on  the  14th  of  Nov.,  1816,  at  Lyme,  in 
Connecticut.  The  notice  of  the  fact  we  find  as 
follows  :  Ordained  on  the  14th  of  Nov.,  1816, 
Eev.  James  Davis,  a  noted  Pedobaptist  itine- 
rant preacher,  to  the  work  of  an  evangehst. 
Mr.  D.  had  been  previously  baptized,  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Wilcox,  on  the  12th  of  Oct.,  of  the  same 
year.  He  was  appointed  a  missionary  to  trav- 
el principally  in  the  State  of  Connecticut. 

From  this  period,  he  labored  in  various 
places  with  unwearied  zeal.  Besides  preach- 
ing, he  used  all  his  influence  in  procuring  funds 
for  Missionary  and  Educational  purposes.  It 
is  much  to  the  credit  of  Mr.  D.,  that,  notwith- 
standing his  pecuniary  means  were  very  limit- 
ed, yet  he  assisted  several  pious  young  men  in 
obtaining  literary  advantages,  and  devoted 
much  of  his  time  and  property  in  promoting  the 
cause  of  Foreign  Missions.  A  few  months  be- 
fore his  death,  he  wrote  as  follows,  to  one  of  the 
editors  of  the  Magazine  : 

"  More  than  fifteen  years  ago,  I  paid  over 
flOO,  for  the  use  of  a  young  man  of  the  Bap- 


EEV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  161 

tist  denomination,  who  was  looking  forward  to 
the  ministry,  to  assist  in  the  improvement  of 
his  mind.  I  have  paid  into  the  hands  of  the 
treasurer  of  the  Connecticut  Auxihary  Society, 
to  aid  the  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions, 
§300.  I  have  collected  for  the  Seminary,  un- 
der the  care  of  the  Board,  about  |500  :  and  to 
Deacon  James  Loring,  for  the  assistance  of 
young  men  called  to  the  ministry,  $56.53.  I 
really  believe  I  have  been  instrumental  in  the 
hands  of  God,  of  bringing  into  different  church- 
es of  the  Baptist  denomination,  eight  hundred 
members.  But  Paul  called  himself  a  '  fool  in 
boasting.'  '  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory, 
save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  " 

Mr.  D.  was  peculiarly  abstemious  in  his 
manner  of  living,  frequently  depriving  himself 
of  his  regular  meals  and  sleep.  He  spent 
much  time  in  fasting  and  prayer.  He  seemed 
unusually  devoted  to  God.  His  health  appear- 
ed to  be  gradually  declining  for  several  months 
before  his  death.  He  continued,  however,  to 
ride  from  place  to   place,  until  within  a  few 


162  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

days  of  his  death.  On  being  asked  by  a  pious 
friend,  how  those  doctrines  of  the  gospel  which 
he  used  to  preach,  now  appeared  to  him  ?  he 
replied,  "  God's  truths,  I  have  lived  by  them, 
and  can  die  by  them.  They  will  stand  when 
heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away.  O,  what 
should  I  now  do,  if  it  were  not  for  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  ?  "  He  then  with  much  emotion, 
with  his  hands  Kfted  up,  and  his  eyes  flowing 
with  tears,  exclaimed,  "  Thanhs  he  to  God  for 
his  unspeakable  gift^'' 

At  parting,  he  said  to  the  family  he  was  vis- 
iting, in  a  most  affecting  manner,  "  See  that 
none  of  you  appear  at  the  judgment,  on  the  left 
hand." 

About  three  weeks  before  his  death,  Mr.  D. 
arrived  at  Mrs.  Howe's,  in  Abington,  but  in  an 
extremely  weak,  emaciated  condition.  He  was 
received  and  treated  by  this  dear  family  with 
Christian  affection  and  kindness.  Mrs.  H. 
appeared  so  far  from  considering  it  a  bur- 
den to  take  care  of  this  devoted  servant  of  the 
Lord,  that  she  said,  '*  she  would  not  on  any  ac- 


EEV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  163 

count  have  been  deprived  of  the  privilege  of 
having  him  die  at  her  house."  The  efficacy  of 
Divine  grace  was  most  clearly  displayed  in  the 
death  of  this  good  man.  During  his  short  con- 
finement he  appeared  to  possess  an  entire  resig- 
nation to  the  will  of  God,  and  to  enjoy  an  un- 
shaken confidence  in  the  merits  of  the  Saviour. 
Being  desirous  of  once  more  commemorating 
the  dying  love  of  Christ,  at  his  particular  re- 
quest, the  Rev.  Mr.  Torrey,  of  Hanson,  with  a 
number  of  the  brethren,  met  on  Lord's  day 
evening,  13th  of  May,  at  Mrs.  Howe's,  for  this 
purpose.  Of  this  interesting  communion,  Mr. 
Torrey  gives  the  following  account :  "It  was 
a  precious  season.  The  remembrance  of  it  can 
never  be  effaced  from  my  mind.  To  behold  a 
saint,  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  face  the  King  of 
terrors  with  composure  ' —  to  see  such  an  one, 
after  having  borne  the  heat  and  burden  of  the 
day,  longing  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ,  is 
no  uninteresting  sight.  Such  a  scene  did  the 
last  sickness  of  the  Rev.  James  Davis  present. 
He  seemed  to  have  a  deep  sense  of  the  deprav- 


164  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

ity  of  the  heart,  and  hoped  for  salvation  only 
through  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ. 

Soon  after  I  entered  the  room,  he  said, 
"  Brother  Torrey,  you  will  never  lament  on 
your  death-bed,  that  you  have  been  too  faithful 
in  warning  sinners  of  their  danger.  You  will 
never  lament  that  you  have  been  engaged  in 
prayer  for  their  salvation."  After  speaking  of 
the  consolation  he  had  derived  from  that  gos- 
pel he  had  labored  to  preach  to  perishing  sin- 
ners, he  said,  "  I  never  in  all  my  life  had  such 
a  sense  of  the  wretched  condition  of  sinners  as 
I  now  have.  I  never  was  so  sensible  of  the 
awful  error  of  the  Unitarians  !  " 

"  The  communion  season  was  a  time  of  re- 
freshing to  him,  and  I  trust  to  each  of  the 
brethren  present.  After  he  had  received  the 
bread,  he  appeared  much  engaged  in  prayer 
and  meditation,  for  a  short  time,  and  then  re- 
peated the  95th  hymn,  2d  book,  of  Dr.  Watts, 
in  a  very  impressive  manner. 

"Infinite  grief!  amazing  woe! 
Behold  my  bleeding  Lord! 
Hell  and  ihe  Jews  conspired  his  death. 
And  used  the  Roman  sword." 


REV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  165 

The  fourth  and  fifth  verses  especially,   he   re- 
peated with  peculiar  emphasis. 

"  '  Twere  you  my  sins,  my  cruel  sins, 
His  chief  tormentors  were; 
Each  of  my  crimes  became  a  nail. 
And  unbelief  a  spear. 

*•  *  T  were  you  that  pull'd  the  vengeance  down. 
Upon  his  guiltless  head ; 
Break,  break,  my  heart,  0,  burst  mine  eyes. 
And  let  my  sorrows  bleed." 

At  his  request,  we  sung,  at  the  close,  the 
13th  hymn,  3d  book,  commencing  with  the 
words, 

'*  How  sweet  and  awful  is  the  place, 
With  Christ  within  the  doors; 
While  everlasting  love  displays. 
The  choicest  of  her  stores." 

It  was  indeed,  a  heavenly  place  in  Christ 
Jesus. 

On  the  28th  of  May,  1821,  he  calmly  resign- 
ed his  spirit  into  the  bosom  of  his  God  and 
Saviour.  On  Thursday,  the  31st,  his  remains 
were  entombed  in  the  family   vault,  near  the 


166  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

house  where  lie  died.  Solemn  prayer  was  of- 
fered up  at  the  house,  before  the  corpse  was 
removed,  and  after  the  interment,  the  proces- 
sion moved  to  the  Congregational  meeting- 
house, where  a  solemn  and  appropriate  dis- 
course was  delivered  by  Dr.  Baldwin,  in  com- 
pliance with  the  request  of  his  deceased  friend.'* 

The  memory  of  the  just  is  blessed. 

The  following  communication  I  sent  to  Dr* 
Sawin,  giving  some  -description  of  the  general 
character  of  Mr.  Davis. 

"  Pemhrohe,  Aug.  23,  1821* 
"  Dear  Brother  m  the  Lord  : 

"  At  your  request,  I  state  the  following  con- 
cernins;  the  life  of  Elder  James  Davis  : 

"  The  first  time  that  I  ever  heard  of  the  man, 
was  by  my  brother  G.,  who  was  at  that  time 
preaching  as  a  candidate,  in  the  Congregation- 
al society,  in  Carver.  As  near  as  I  can  recol- 
lect, he  observed,  that,  '  he  was  a  very  religious, 
singular  man,  and  that  he  preache  d  in  a  singu- 


BEV.  THOMAS  CONANT.  167 

lar  manner.'  The  first  of  his  preaching  in  the 
place,  he  told  his  hearers,  '  the  Lord  was  com- 
ing into  the  place,  he  believed,  by  his  Spirit, 
and  that  they  might  oppose  it  if  they  dared, 
but  the  Lord  would  work.'  He  wished  for  a 
prayer  meeting  to  be  appointed  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  as  one  was  about  to  address  the  throne 
of  grace,  he  requested  him  '  to  pray  particular- 
ly for  the  young  people,  that  they  might  be 
converted.'  A  revival  soon  commenced  in  the 
place  ;  a  considerable  number  shared  in  it. 

"  One  time,  as  he  was  on  his  way  to  Asso- 
net,  he  stepped  into  a  house,  and  gazed  about 
for  some  time,  w^hich  excited  the  attention  of 
those  present.  At  last  he  remarked  thus,  to 
the  family.  '  You  have  a  very  nice  house,  it  is 
almost  too  good  to  pray  in,  is  it  not  ?  There 
never  was  any  prayer  in  it,  was  there  ? '  and 
then  bid  them  good-by.  The  family  began  to 
think  what  the  stranger  meant ;  they  recollect- 
ed also,  that  there  never  had  been  a  prayer  in 
their  house.  This  circumstance  appeared  to  be 
the  means  of  their  awakening  ;  they  sent  for 


168  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

him   to  come    and   attend  a  meeting    at   their 
house,  and  it  soon  became  a  house  of  prayer. 

"  The  second  time  I  saw  Mr.  D.  was  in  the 
town  of  Sandwich,  where  I  was  then  teaching 
a  school.  His  first  sermon  there  was  from 
these  words,  '  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God.'  A 
number  received  impressions  at  this  meeting 
that  abide  to  this  day ;  a  great  revival  soon 
commenced,  which  spread  into  Barnstable  and 
Falmouth.  The  years  following,  1810,  1811, 1 
attended  a  great  number  of  meetings  with  him? 
on  the  Cape,  and  on  Martha's  Vineyard. 
There  were  greater  revivals  of  religion  in  those 
places,  at  this  time,  than  had  ever  been  known 
in  them  before.  Mr.  Davis  was  a  great  in- 
strument, in  the  hands  of  God,  in  effecting  this 
work.  When  he  went  into  a  place,  he  would 
preach  if  asked,  and  before  he  pronounced  the' 
benediction,  he  would  ask,  '  if  any  one  wished 
for  him  to  appoint  a  prayer-meeting  at  his 
house  the.^  next  mornino;  at  the  risino:  of  the 
sun  ?  '  if  any  opened  their  doors,  he  would  give 
out  the  appointment.     These  morning  prayer- 


EEV.  THOMAS    CONANT.  169 

meetings  were  often  very  solemn  and  interest- 
ing ;  sometimes  they  would  continue  tlie  great- 
er part  of  the  forenoon.  By  the  time  these 
morning  prayer-meetings  came  to  a  close,  some 
one  would  wish  him  to  appoint  a  meeting  at 
his  house,  to  preach  in  the  evening.  After  this 
manner,  meetings  have  continued  for  weeks  to- 
gether, where  there  has  been  any  special  atten- 
tion to  religion  in  the  place. 

"  I  do  not  know  that  I  ever  saw  a  more  de- 
voted man.  I  have  lodged  with  him  a  number 
of  times,  when  he  has  spent  most  of  the  night 
in  prayer ;  for  hours  I  have  known  him  to 
stand  with  his  face  toward  the  wall  of  the 
room,  in  the  posture  of  secret  prayer. 

"  A  lawyer  once  slept  with  him,  who  said  in 
the  morning,  '  he  was  unwilling  to  lay  with 
such  a  man,  for  he  believed  he  had  been  pray- 
ing for  him  all  night.'  The  lawyer,  however, 
soon  after  obtained  a  hope  in  the  pardoning 
mercy  of  God.  Mr.  Davis  staid  several  nights 
at  a  physician's  house  in  Barnstable.  The 
physician  told  me  that  '  he  believed  Mr.  D. 
12 


170  AtJTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

spent  whole  nlglits  is  prayer,  for  when  they 
went  up  to  make  his  bed,  they  perceived  that 
no  person  had  slept  in  it/ 

"  r  visited  him  in  his  last  sickness.  I  was 
preaching  at  the  time  in  Marshfield ;  he  sent 
for  me  a  few  days  before  he  died,  at  Widow 
Howe's,  in  Abington.  When  myself  and  wife 
went  to  his  bed-side,  he  took  us  by  the  hand, 
and  said,  '  he  was  glad  to  see  us  ; '  he  made  a 
little  pause,  and  took  hold  of  my  hand  again, 
and  said,  '  dear  brother  —  I  have  got  almost 
home,  but  I  am  not  sorry  that  I  have  preached 
the  gospel,  that  I  have  warned  the  righteous 
and  wicked,  that  I  have  encountered  difficulties 
for  the  cause  of  Christ,  nor  for  the  sacrifices 
which  I  have  made  for  God.'  I  asked  him, 
have  you  no  fears  of  death  ?  He  replied,  '  I 
cannot  say  that  I  have  any  at  all.'  I  asked 
him  what  was  the  principal  source  of  his  com- 
fort ?  He  said,  '  that  the  Lord  reigned,  and 
would  do  all  his  pleasure.'  And  of  the  num- 
ber that  I  have  witnessed  upon  dying  beds, 
which  has  been  many,  during  more  than  fifty 


RET.  THOMAS  CONANT.  171 

years  in  which  I  have  been  in  the  ministry,  I 
never  saw  a  more  heavenly  countenance  than 
his,  and  one  that  gave  me  more  evidence  that 
he  was  going  immediately  into  heaven,  and  es- 
pecially while  my  wife  was  singing  the  hymn 
he  requested  her  to  sing  at  this  time,  which 
was  as  follows : 

**  Arise  and  shine,  0  Zion  fair. 
Behold  thy  light  is  come ! 
The  glorious,  conquering  King  is  near. 
To  take  his  exiles  home. 

"  The  trumpet 's  thundering  through  the  sky» 
To  set  poor  prisoners  free; 
The  day  of  wonders  now  is  nigh. 
The  year  of  jubilee. 

**  Ye  heralds  blow  your  trumpets  loud> 
Through  all  the  earth  and  sky. 
Go,  spread  the  news  from  pole  to  pole> 
Behold,  the  judgment's  nigh! 

**  Blow  out  the  sun,  turn  up  the  earth, 
Consume  the  rolling  flood ; 
While  every  star  must  disappear, 
The  moon  turn  into  blood. 


172  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

"  Arise,  ye  nations  underground. 
Before  your  Judge  appear; 
All  tongues,  all  languages  must  come. 
Their  final  doom  to  hear. 

*'  The  watchmen  all  have  left  their  walls. 
And  with  their  flocks  above , 
On  Canaan's  happy  shore  they  stand. 
And  shout  Redeeming  love. 

**  Come,  all  ye  brethren,  in  the  Lord, 
AVhose  hearts  are  joined  in  one, 
Hold  up  your  heads  with  courage  bold. 
Your  race  is  almost  run. 

"  Above  the  clouds  behold  him  standi 
And  smiling,  bids  you  come; 
"While  angels  beckon  you  away. 
To  their  eternal  home. 

"  To  see  a  pilgrim  as  he  dies. 
With  glory  in  his  view; 
To  heaven  he  lifts  his  longing  eyes. 
And  bids  the  world  adieu. 

*'  While  friends  stand  weeping  all  around. 
And  loth  to  let  him  go, 
He  shouts  with  his  expiring  breath. 
And  leaves  them  all  below. 


REV.  THOMAS  COXANT.  173 

**  0  Christians,  are  you  ready,  novr, 
To  cross  the  narrow  flood? 
On  Canaan's  happy  shore  behold, 
And  see  a  smiling  God. 

*'  The  dazzling  charms  of  that  bright  world. 
Attract  my  soul  above; 
My  tongue  shall  shout  redeeming  love. 
When  perfected  in  love. 

**  Go  on,  my  brethren  in  the  Lord, 
I'm  bound  to  meet  you  there*. 
Though  you've  to  tread  the  enchanted  ground. 
Hold  out  and  do  not  fear. 

*'  Fight  on,  fight  on,  ye  conquering  souls. 
The  land  keep  still  in  view ; 
And  when  you  reach  fair  Canaan's  shore, 
I  hope  to  meet  with  you.  '* 

"  Thus  passed  from  the  labors  of  earth  and 
the  conflicts  with  sin,  the  devoted  Christian, 
and  the  faithful  minister  of  Jesus  Christ.  He 
laid  aside  the  habiliments  of  a  soldiet  to  re- 
ceive from  his  Lord  and  Kedeemer,  '  the  crown 
of  glory  which  fadeth  not  away.' 
Yours,  &c., 

Thomas  Conant." 


CHAPTEE  XX. 

CONCLUSION. 

The  following  closing  pages  embrace  a  con- 
densed view  of  my  labors  for  the  last  twenty- 
years.  The  reader  will  find  here  nothing 
marked  or  varying  from  the  ordinary  experi- 
ence of  ministers  in  general,  and  on  this  ac- 
count, I  am  aware  it  may  not  prove  very  inter- 
esting. However,  it  will  serve  to  show  a  con- 
tinuous narrative  of  changes  in  my  ministerial 
history  down  to  the  present  time. 

I  left  Brewster  in  Feb.,  1839,  and  supplied 
the  Baptist  church  in  Chatham  fifteen  months. 
I  then  removed  to  Hanover,  at  the  earnest  re- 
quest of  my  brethren  in  the  ministry,  in  con- 
nection -with  the  invitation  of  the  church. 
The  church  in  H.  at  this  time,  was  in  a  very 
low,  discouraged  and  distracted  state,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  prevalence  of  various  forms  of 


KEY.  THOMAS  CONANT.  175 

isms  ;  and  some  of  the  members  were  carried 
away  with  false  and  pernicious  doctrines  which 
were  then  advocated.  I  labored  with  that 
people  for  the  space  of  three  years,  and,  with 
the  blessing  of  the  Head  of  the  church,  their 
condition  was  considerably  improved  for  the 
better. 

In  1843,  I  accepted  an  invitation  to  take  the 
pastoral  charge  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Scitu- 
ate,  where  I  continued  my  labors  during  the  pe- 
riod of  ten  years.  Previous  to  my  going  to  S. 
a  very  extensive  revival  of  religion  had  been 
enjoyed  there,  in  connection  with  the  labors  of 
Bro.  F.  Damon,  now  of  Bow,  N.  H.,  who  then 
was  a  licentiate,  and  teaching  school  in  the 
place,  whom  I  assisted  in  his  meetings,  and 
baptized  fifty-seven  of  the  first  converts.  Bro. 
D.  was  soon  after  ordained,  and  baptized  oth- 
ers, who  desired  to  follow  in  the  steps  of  their 
Lord  and  Master. 

At  the  close  of  my  term  of  service  in  S.,  in 
1853,  I  had  a  pressing  invitation  to  return 
again  to  Brewster,  my  former  field  of  labor,  but 


1* 

176  AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF  ^ 

on  several  accounts,  viz  :  the  health  of  my  fam- 
ily, and  besides  it  being  permanently  located  in 
S.,  and  also  my  own  advanced  age,  I  declined. 
Since  then,  I  have  occasionally  supplied  vacant 
pulpits  and  destitute  places,  as  my  services 
were  wanted,  and  where  I  thought  I  could  do 
good.  Thus  a  few  months  in  Kingston,  at 
Gay  Head,  Hanson  and  N.  Marshfield  ;  a  few 
Sabbaths  in  S.  Abington,  and  nearly  two  years 
in  Hanover.  I  am  sensible  of  the  approach  of 
infirmities  which  accompany  old  age,  yet,  thus 
far,  when  I  have  been  able  and  had  the  oppor- 
tunity, I  have  been  ready  and  willing  to  en- 
gage in  my  Master's  work,  and  I  desire  to  oc- 
cupy till  He  comes. 

At  present,  my  field  of  labor  is  somewhat  a 
a  new  and  novel  one,  yet  heretofore  quite 
needy,  and  into  which  I  cheerfully  entered 
without  any  stipulated  pecuniary  consideration 
whatever,  but  with  the  hope  of  doing  good  while 
I  may,  and  as  long  as  life  continues.  I  endeav- 
or to  preach  every  Sabbath  afternoon,  when 
pleasant,  in  a  hall,  near  Beach  Woods,  in  the 


REV.  THOMAS   CONANT.  177 

town  of  Scltuate,  and  tliose  that  attend  meet- 
ing on  the  Sabbath,  Hve  from  three  to  six  miles 
from  any  meeting-house  ;  and  it  is  a  class  of 
population  that  has  not  hitherto  attended  relig- 
ious meetings  anywhere.  The  number  present 
is  usually  about  sixty  or  seventy  persons.  Im- 
mediately after  service,  I  have  a  Sabbath 
school,  averaging  about  thirty  scholars  —  ages 
from  seven  to  twenty-two  years.  I  instruct 
a  Bible  class  of  about  ten,  whose  ages  are  from 
fifteen  to  twenty-two  years.  It  is  quite  a 
notable  fact,  with  but  two  exceptions,  not  one 
of  all  that  attend  either  the  Sabbath  school  or 
Bible  class,  was  ever  known  to  have  any  con- 
nection with  any  other  school  or  Bible  class. 
Very  good  attention  is  given  to  the  word  spok- 
en and  to  the  other  exercises,  which  leads  me 
to  hope  that  the  seed  sown  in  weakness,  with 
the  blessing  of  the  great  Husbandman,  will  re- 
sult in  the  conversion  of  souls.  The  distance, 
however,  is  so  great  for  me  to  travel,  which  I 
usually  do,  that  when  winter  comes  on,  I  shall 
be  obliged  to  suspend  my  labors  for  the  pres- 
ent. 


178  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OP 

A  little  incident  recently  occurred  which 
may  be  worthy  of  a  passing  remark:  The 
Congregationalists  had  a  Sabbath  School  Con- 
vention in  Scituate,  in  September  last,  1860 ; 
there  were  eight  schools  present.  They  gave 
me  and  my  mission  school,  as  they  called  it,  an 
invitation  to  attend.  At  the  close  of  the  exer- 
cises, Mr.  Williams,  their  agent,  requested  all 
that  would  wish  to  attend  Sabbath  school  dur- 
ing life,  to  manifest  it  by  rising.  My  school  rose 
first.  Mr.  W.  then  spoke  in  terms  of  commen- 
dation and  approval  of  the  school.  Besides,  the 
school  under  the  direction  of  its  efficient  super- 
intendent, Mr.  Charles  Bailey,  sung  as  well  as 
any  school  in  the  Convention. 

My  friends  will  pardon  a  still  further  allu- 
sion to  myself,  and  with  this  I  shall  close  ;  and 
yet  I  would  express  my  heartfelt  gratitude  for 
this  last  instance  of  unsought  and  unexpected 
appreciation  of  my  humble  services  in  the  cause 
of  Christ.  I  copy  the  following  extract  from 
the  Watchman  &  Reflector.  "The  recent 
meeting   of  the  Old  Colony  Baptist  Pastoral 


KEY.  THOMAS  CONANT.  179 

Union,  was  one  of  more  than  ordinary  interest. 
In  addition  to  the  regular  exercises,  a  pleasant 
retrospect  of  by-gone  scenes  was  presented  by 
some  of  our  older  ministers,  and  especially  by 
our  venerable  father  in  Israel,  Rev.  Thomas 
Conant.  The  Lord  employed  him  in  founding 
the  Baptist  churches  in  Bellingham,  Westboro', 
New  Bedford,  Abington  and  Hanover  ;  and  in 
enlarging  the  churches  in  Plymouth,  Marsh- 
field  and  Brewster.  He  was  also  among  the 
first  who  preached  evangelical  doctrine  in  Ed- 
gartown,  Hingham,  Cohasset,  Duxbury,  and 
North  Marshfield.  At  the  conclusion  of  the 
pastoral  sermon,  by  Rev.  A.  M.  Averill,  Rev. 
B.  A.  Edwards,  in  behalf  of  friends  present  and 
absent,  presented  Father  Conant  with  a  package 
of  money,  ($100,)  which  had  been  put  into  his 
hands  for  that  purpose,  accompanied  with  such 
remarks  as  the  occasion  seemed  to  demand. 
Our  aged  friend  expressed  his  hearty  thanks 
for  this  and  other  tokens  of  regard,  some  of 
which  had  been  left  at  his  house.  He  also 
made  some  touching  allusions  to  other  days, 


180  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

when  instead  of  money,  he  received  scoldings 
and  threatenings,  and,  in  one  instance,  stones, 
as  the  reward  of  his  labors.  Once  he  had  a 
whip  held  over  his  head,  and  once  was  pulled 
out  of  a  hall  by  his  coat,  for  preaching  the 
truth  in  love.  Still  he  loved  the  cause  of 
Christ,  and  all„  Christ's  people,  and  left  his 
benediction  upon  his  younger  brethren  in  the 
ministry,  and  on  all  his  friends." 


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